There's something magical well-nigh a recipe that's passed lanugo through generations, delivering with it memories and a sense of home. Today, I'm thrilled to share with you not just a recipe, but a piece of my family's history: the Blackberry Jam Cake. It's increasingly than a dessert; it's a slice of nostalgia, warmly inviting you into my diaper kitchen.
Blackberry Jam cake with Caramel Icing
How I Got This Recipe
Growing up, my mother made jam cake every Christmas. In Kentucky, where my family hails, jam cake is a centerpiece of Christmas celebrations, a symbol of togetherness and joy.
My mother had a cookbook and among its pages was "Mary Ellen's Jam Cake" recipe, which moreover included a caramel icing recipe, was a centerpiece of our holiday celebrations, a symbol of togetherness and joy. Remarkably, it is the sole recipe that endures from that cherished cookbook, a singular connection to past Christmas gatherings and a reminder of the love and laughter that filled our home.
Now, as I protract this tradition, each Christmas is an opportunity to relive those precious moments that my mother gave to me and share a piece of my family's history.
The History of Jam Cake
Picture this: a popping kitchen filled with the rich, sweet aromas of spices and fruit. The jam cake, a minion dessert, has been a staple in Southern kitchens for generations, particularly in Kentucky. Its roots can be traced when to the pioneer days when resourceful cooks would make use of preserved fruit jams to add moisture and sweetness to their cakes during the winter months.
These cakes were often made for special occasions, expressly virtually the holidays, when families would gather and share stories over a slice of this dense, spice-infused delight. The jam cake tradition, passed from one generation to the next, has evolved over the years but unchangingly remains a symbol of comfort, family, and the simple joys of homemade baking.
As we delve into this recipe, remember that each ingredient isn't just a component of a cake; it's a thread in the tapestry of a long-standing culinary tradition.
Equipment Needed for Blackberry Jam Cake
Before we embark on our sultry adventure, let's make sure we have all the necessary tools at hand. Here's what you'll need:
- Mixing Bowls: Various sizes for variegated ingredients.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For precise ingredient measurements.
- Electric Mixer: To ensure your thrash is smooth and well-combined.
- Cake Pans: Typically, this recipe calls for round pans, but finger self-ruling to get creative!
- Cooling Rack: Essential for letting your cake tomfool lanugo surpassing icing.
- Saucepan: For preparing the caramel icing.
- Spatula and Whisk: For mixing and folding ingredients.
- Sifter: To oxygenate your flour – a small step for a fluffier cake.
- Parchment Paper: Helps in easy removal of the cake from the pan.
- Toothpick: To test the doneness of your cake.
Having these items ready will make your sultry process smooth and enjoyable. Now, let’s get to the heart of any cake - the ingredients.
Directions
Making the Cake
- Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. You can moreover opt for a bundt or tube pan for a variegated shape.
- Creaming: In your stand mixer, surf the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Eggs and Buttermilk: Next, add the eggs followed by the buttermilk, blending well without each addition.
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sultry soda, salt, and your chosen spices.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, ensuring everything is mixed well.
- Raisins and Walnuts: Lightly dredge the raisins and walnuts in flour (this nifty trick prevents them from sinking to the bottom) and fold them into the batter.
- Jam Time: Stir in the blackberry jam until evenly distributed.
- Bake: Pour the thrash into your prepared pans. Torch for well-nigh 40 minutes if using round pans, or 45-50 minutes for a bundt or tube pan.
- Cool: Allow the cakes to tomfool in the pans for well-nigh 10 minutes surpassing transferring them to a wire rack to tomfool completely.
Making the Caramel Icing
- Melt and Mix: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar, honey, and heavy cream.
- Cook: Stir the mixture and melt for several minutes until the sugar is fully melted.
- Whip It: Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and whip until it's light and fluffy.
- Icing on the Cake: Quickly pour the caramel icing over your cooled cake or cake layers.
I typically make this blackberry jam cake recipe without the caramel icing considering I find it to be a bit too sweet. That's my personal opinion, but you may find that you love the uneaten sweetness!
Tips for Perfect Jam Cake
- Temperature Matters: Begin with ingredients at room temperature. This simple step ensures a smoother, increasingly uniform batter, leading to a perfectly textured cake.
- Spice Harmony: The eyeful of this cake lies in its spice mix. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are classics, but finger self-ruling to experiment. A pinch of clove or cardamom can add a delightful twist.
- Mixing Technique: When combining the dry and wet ingredients, mix just until they’re incorporated. Overmixing can result in a heavy, dumbo texture, which we want to avoid.
- Baking to Perfection: Alimony an eye on the cake in the last minutes of baking. Ovens vary, and so does sultry time. The toothpick test is your weightier friend here.
- Patience with Cooling: Allowing the cake to tomfool completely surpassing icing is crucial. This patience pays off as it ensures your trappy caramel icing stays put and looks as good as it tastes.
Creative Variations for Jam Cake
- Jam Explorations: While blackberry jam is the star here, the recipe is wonderfully versatile. Imagine a raspberry jam cake with its tartness, or the sweetness of tangerine jam. Each type brings its unique savor profile, making this recipe a canvas for your culinary creativity.
- Welcoming All Eaters: For those with nut allergies or preferences, skipping the walnuts won't compromise the cake's integrity. It remains succulent and inviting.
- Inclusive Baking: Embrace a gluten-free version by substituting regular flour with a trusted gluten-free flour mix. This small transpiration can make your cake wieldy to increasingly friends and family.
- Vegan-Friendly Adaptation: A vegan version is not only possible but equally delectable. Plant-based substitutes for butter, milk, and eggs are readily misogynist and work wonderfully in this recipe.
Pairings That Elevate Your Jam cake Experience
- Beverage Bliss: Imagine wearing through the richness of the cake with a sip of whiffy coffee or a glass of unprepossessed milk. These archetype pairings create a wastefulness of flavors that is simply sublime.
- Ice Surf Indulgence: A scoop of linty vanilla ice surf slantingly a warm slice of jam cake creates a symphony of textures and temperatures. It’s indulgence at its best.
- Fruitful Garnishes: Enhance the cake with a garnish of fresh berries or a sprinkle of citrus zest. These fresh elements add a pop of verisimilitude and a splash of freshness, making each zest a delightful experience.
Food Safety Insights
Proper storage is key to maintaining the cake's freshness and ensuring supplies safety. Store any leftovers in an snapped container to alimony the moisture in. At room temperature, the cake stays fresh for a couple of days, making it perfect for gradual indulgence. In the fridge, it can last up to a week. Fresh ingredients are the cornerstone of a unconfined cake, so unchangingly trammels for their quality surpassing starting.
FAQs
Q: Can I prepare this cake in whop for a gathering?
A: Absolutely! This cake is a fantastic make-ahead dessert. Preparing it a day in whop allows the flavors to meld, enhancing its taste.
Q: What's the weightier way to store this cake?
A: For short-term storage, an snapped container at room temperature works wonders. If you plan to savor it over a longer period, the refrigerator is your weightier bet.
Q: Is freezing this cake an option?
A: Yes, this cake freezes beautifully. Wrap it well and store it without the icing. When you're ready to enjoy it, thaw and add fresh icing for a just-baked experience.
Conclusion: The Heartwarming Essence of a Family Tradition
As we reach the end of this culinary journey, it's not just well-nigh the steps of sultry a cake, but well-nigh embracing a legacy - a legacy of family, tradition, and the irreplaceable joy of homemade treats. The Blackberry Jam cake is increasingly than a dessert; it's a vessel of memories, a underpass connecting past and present, and a triumph of togetherness.
Each ingredient in this cake carries a story - the blackberry jam reminiscent of lush, bountiful summers; the spices that evoke the warmth of holiday gatherings; the caramel icing that adds a layer of nostalgia. This cake is a canvas, inviting you to paint your own family's flavors and stories onto it.
As you mix, pour, bake, and ice, you're not just pursuit a recipe; you're weaving your own story into an timeworn tradition. Whether it’s a festive holiday table, a special family occasion, or a quiet afternoon with a cup of tea, this jam cake brings a touch of sweetness and a lot of heart.
Let this Blackberry Jam cake be a reminder of the simple joys of baking, the eyeful of family traditions, and the power of supplies to bring us together. May your kitchen be filled with the zephyr of love and the laughter of shared stories. And as you slice into this cake, remember that each piece is not just a treat, but a slice of history, lovingly preserved and passed on.
Here's to creating new memories, one slice at a time. Happy baking!
The Weightier Blackberry Jam cake Recipe
- Author: cookwithleo
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Blackberry Jam Cake:
- 1 cup of butter, softened
- 2 cups of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of buttermilk
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of sultry soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon of allspice
- 1 cup of raisins
- 1 cup of walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup of blackberry jam
Ingredients for the Caramel Icing:
- ½ cup of butter
- 1 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- ½ cup of heavy cream
Instructions
Directions for the Blackberry Jam Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
2. Grease and line 3 8-inch round cake pans (or a bundt/tube pan) with parchment.
3. In a stand mixer, surf together 1 cup of butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, then gradually mix in 1 cup of buttermilk.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of sultry soda, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the spices.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
7. Toss 1 cup of raisins and 1 cup of chopped walnuts in a little flour, then fold them into the batter.
8. Stir in 1 cup of blackberry jam.
9. Pour thrash into prepared pans. Torch for 40 minutes for round pans, or 45-50 minutes for bundt/tube pan.
10. Allow to tomfool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to tomfool completely.
Directions for the Caramel Icing:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt ½ cup of butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of honey, and ½ cup of heavy cream.
3. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Transfer to a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy.
5. Quickly spread over the cooled cake.
