1 3/4 c. pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temp.
3/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1/3 c. light unsulfured molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 lg. eggs, room temp.
2 tbsp. Irish whiskey or Irish Mist liqueur
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. finely grated orange peel
Powdered sugar
Custard Sauce (see recipe)
Fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease 10 to 12 cup fluted tube pan. Spread out nuts on heavy large cookie sheet. Bake until aromatic, about 10 minutes. Cool nuts completely. Maintain oven temperature. Coarsely grind nuts in processor using on/off turns. Toss 1 1/2 cups ground nuts with 2 tablespoons flour in small bowl. Dust bottom and 2/3 up sides of prepared tube pan with remaining ground nuts.

Using electric mixer, cream butter in large bowl until light. Add brown sugar and coffee powder and beat until well blended. Beat in molasses and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add whiskey and beat until very light. Sift 1 cup flour, baking powder, spices and salt into medium bowl. Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture. Add grated orange peel and ground nut mixture and beat 30 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan. Bake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Invert onto rack and cool completely. (Cake can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.)

Sift powdered sugar over cake. Using serrated knife, cut cake into thin slices. Arrange 3 slices on each plate. Spoon custard sauce over. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve. 8 servings.