Ukrainian Christmas Honey Cake Medivnyk - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup honey
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 300-F degrees.
Generously grease and lightly flour two loaf pans, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, prepare the batter: Cream the butter and sugar together with a hand-held mixer until light and creamy.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to beat the mixture after each additional yolk is incorporated.
Add the honey and sour cream and mix again.
Beat the eggs whites in a small mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.
Sift together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Fold the flour mixture and the egg whites, ALTERNATING EACH MIXTURE (flour and then egg whites), into the cake batter.
Fold in the raisins and walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool.
Slice and serve slightly warm.
Serves 10 to 12.