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Blackberry Jam Cake with Caramel Glaze

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Cakes" by Nancie McDermott


Recipe Introduction

"With its foundation of blackberry jam, this homey spice cake delivers a postcard from last summer's berry patch. Jam cakes are traditional throughout the South, particularly in the Appalachian mountain regions of Kentucky and Tennessee. Jewel-like jars of homemade blackberry jam and strawberry preserves still provide some families with sustenance and the makings of a celebration all winter long. Caramel icing is the classic jam cake finish, but consider making this a jelly cake instead. A jelly cake is any kind of layer cake that is iced with jelly or jam; the sides are usually left plain. To finish this cake with jam or jelly, simply spread about ¾ cup of softened blackberry jam, pear preserves, or grape jelly over each layer of the cake and stack the layers, spreading a little extra jam on the top layer for a beautiful finish."

List of Ingredients

Jam cake:
â—¦ 3 cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 teaspoons baking soda
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground allspice
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
â—¦ 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
â—¦ 2 cups sugar
â—¦ 3 eggs
â—¦ 1 ½ cups blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, or pear jam at room temperature
â—¦ ¼ cup milk

Caramel glaze:
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) butter
â—¦ 1 cup light brown sugar
â—¦ ½ cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
â—¦ One 1-pound box (about 3 â…” cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Recipe

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour three 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, and stir with a fork to mix everything well.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat with a mixer at high speed until very well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one to blend it into the butter mixture. Stir the jam well, add it to the batter, and beat at low speed to mix it in. Add the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon or a spatula, incorporating it into the batter. Add the milk and continue stirring only until the milk disappears.

Quickly scrape the batter into the pans and bake at 350° F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cakes are nicely browned, spring back when touched gently in the center, and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towels for 10 minutes, and then turn out the cakes onto wire racks or plates to cool completely, top side up.

To make the glaze, combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the butter melts and blends with the sugar into a smooth sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, and let the icing come to a gentle boil. Stir well, remove from the heat, and add the sifted confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Beat well with a mixer, whisk, or spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, until the icing thickens and loses a little of its shine. Use at once. If the glaze hardens, stir in one or two spoonfuls of evaporated milk to soften it.

To complete the cake, place one layer, top side down, on a cake stand or serving plate, and spread it generously with the glaze. Place the second layer over the first, top side down, and ice it. (If you've baked only 2 layers, place the second layer top side up.) Add the third layer, top side up, and pour the remaining icing over its surface, spreading it to cover the top and then encouraging any extra icing to drip invitingly down the uniced sides of the cake.

Serves 6 to 8