1 1/2 cups butter (at room temperature)
1 3/4 cups lightly packed brown sugar
6 eggs, separated (at room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
7/8 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Beat butter until very light and gradually beat in the brown sugar. Add egg yolks one by one. Sift salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour together. Add to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in vanilla extract, bourbon and pecans. Beat the egg whites until frothy and slowly add the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter, turn into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake in an oven preheated to 325 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a clean straw inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes then invert to turn out.

Bourbon Glaze
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup bourbon

Melt the brown sugar, butter and water together and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. When lukewarm, stir in the bourbon. Spoon the bourbon glaze slowly over the cake while it is still warm.