Bourbon Pecan Bread

3/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup bourbon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pecan nutmeats, broken

Soak raisins in bourbon for 2 hours and drain, reserving bourbon.

Add more bourbon to make 1/3 cup.

Grease two bread loaf pans and line pan bottoms with greased wax paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Add flour in thirds, alternating with bourbon. Mix until blended. Stir in raisins, pecans and vanilla extract.

With clean beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup sugar; beat until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter; turn into pans and bake 1 hour.