Ingredients

8 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup rum or brandy
1 1/2 cup butter or regular margarine, 
softened (not soft or oil based 
margarine)
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
Sherry
Powdered Sugar
 

Directions

1. Lightly grease bottom and side of 10 inch tube pan. Line with brown paper, grease paper.

2. Turn nuts into large bowl. On waxed paper, sift flour with baking powder and salt; set aside. Combine milk with rum.

3. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter with sugar until very light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating at high speed after each addition; beat until very light and fluffy.

5. At low speed beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with milk mixture in thirds), beginning and ending with flour.

6. Pour batter over nuts. Mix well with large spoon or rubber scraper. Turn batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

7. Bake 2 1/2 hours or until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Turn out on rack; gently remove paper; let cool completely.

8. Wrap cake in plastic or cheesecloth soaked in sherry. then wrap in foil , or place in cake tin with tight fitting cover for several weeks, keep in refrigerator or freeze.

9. To serve: Sprinkle with powdered sugar, dallop with whipped cream or spread with butter. Cut cake into very thin slices. Let slices warm to room temperatures. Makes 5 1/4 pound cake.