LEMON IRISH WHISKEY CAKE

Ideally this recipe should be started the day before baking.

1 lemon, zest of, cut into julienne
3/4 cup superfine sugar (regular sugar can be processed in a blender of food processor)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups flour
3/4 cup almonds, ground
1 pinch salt

Place julienned lemon zest in a small bowl. Let it soak in whiskey overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 350°F .Grease a 9 inch cake pan. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and then whisk in the eggs. Sift the flour and add to the butter mixture together with the salt. Stir to blend. Fold in the ground almonds. Strain the whiskey, discarding the zest, and stir the whiskey into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for about one hour, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 10 servings

"St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic."~Adrienne Cook