Get ready to treat your taste buds to an amazing experience with our family recipe for Blackberry Jam Cake. This cake is pure magic, combining the richness of moist, flavorful spiced cake with the tantalizing sweetness of blackberry jam. And let’s not forget the dreamy Caramel Frosting that takes this cake to the next level of decadence. Smooth, buttery, and richly caramel-flavored, it’s the perfect finishing touch.
Table of Contents
- Blackberry Jam Cake is So Moist and Flavorful!
- This Caramel Frosting Recipe Pairs Perfectly With Jam Cake
- How to Make Jam Cake
- How to Make Caramel Frosting
- How to Assemble This Recipe for Jam Cake
- Can Jam Cake be Made Ahead?
- Jam Cake Recipe Storage
- How to Serve Old Fashioned Jam Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Jam Cake FAQs
- More Cake Recipes To Try
- Old Fashioned Jam Cake and Caramel Frosting Recipe
Blackberry Jam Cake is So Moist and Flavorful!
Jam Cake is a traditional Kentucky dessert, dating back more than 100 years. It was my mom Sally’s favorite cake as a child – and she loved it throughout her life, especially on her birthday. Passed down through the generations, this cake captures the essence of my family’s culinary history, evoking warm memories of gathering loved ones around the table. It’s perfect for any occasion when you want to wow your friends and family or simply indulge in a slice of pure deliciousness.
Our family’s version of this delectable dessert starts with a basic spice cake batter (including allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) and adds in cocoa powder, blackberry jam (a traditional ingredient in Jam Cake), buttermilk, raisins and pecans. The resulting cake is sooo moist, and packed with flavor!
This Caramel Frosting Recipe Pairs Perfectly With Jam Cake
Over the years, the family Jam Cake frosting recipe was lost. So, one year I created this Caramel Frosting when making the cake for mom’s birthday celebration. She loved it and we’ve been making the cake with it ever since.
How to Make Jam Cake
Even though the ingredient list for Jam Cake is long, it’s not difficult to prepare! Here are the steps:
- Prep oven and pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. - Combine dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside. - Mix sugar, butter and vanilla; add eggs and jam.
With an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, combine together the sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Blend in jam. - Add dry ingredients.
Again with the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredient mixture, then half the buttermilk. Repeat and mix just until blended. - Add raisins and nuts.
Stop the mixer and fold in raisins and pecans. - Bake and cool.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Place pans on a wire rack to cool.
How to Make Caramel Frosting
This frosting is super easy to prepare, especially when compared to a buttercream frosting! Here are the steps:
- Heat butter and sugar.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, slowly stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves (when stirring it won’t feel/sound gritty). - Add milk.
Whisk in the milk and bring to a slow boil, slowly stirring constantly. - Add vanilla.
Take off heat and stir in vanilla. - Add powdered sugar.
Stir or whisk in powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the right consistency is reached – thick enough to frost the cake but not lumpy. - Cool.
Let cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.
How to Assemble This Recipe for Jam Cake
Once the cake is baked and cooled and the frosting is ready, here are the final steps to put it all together:
- Even out top of cake layers.
If the cakes have domed on the top, cut the top of the dome off so each section of the cake is fairly flat. - Set up base cake layer.
Place one cake layer on the serving platter you plan to use. If you cut the cake to level it, place the cut side down. This will minimize any crumbs getting into the frosting. (Tip: If you place pieces of wax paper around the edge of the serving platter and then put the cake on top, the paper will catch any frosting that drips when you frost the cake. You can then gently pull them out after you are done. This way, the serving platter stays clean.) - Frost top of base layer.
Spread some of the frosting on top of the base layer, about 1/4-inch thick. - Position second layer.
Take the second cake and place it upside down on top of the frosting (this way the smoothest side, which is the bottom during baking, is the top of your cake). - Frost.
Using a flat spatula or knife, spread frosting evenly the top and sides of the cake layers to cover completely. I like to swirl it around a bit (see photo).
Can Jam Cake be Made Ahead?
Yes, you can prepare this cake ahead of time:
- Option 1: Cake layers can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled, well wrapped and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before frosting. Can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Option 2: Assemble and frost the cake earlier in the day – follow storage directions below.
Jam Cake Recipe Storage
To store iced cake, place on a cake stand or large plate, cover with a dome (or keeper) and refrigerate. If you don’t have a dome, refrigerate until icing sets (around 15 to 20 minutes), then cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap. It will last for up to 4 days. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
How to Serve Old Fashioned Jam Cake with Caramel Frosting
To serve, you can either place it on a pretty cake stand or cake plate, take it to the table, cut it and place pieces on individual dessert plates. Alternatively, cut and plate it in the kitchen. Serve with a scoop of caramel or vanilla ice cream on the side.
Jam Cake FAQs
Yes you can use pretty much any flavor jam, but blackberry is the traditional Kentucky ingredient.
Yes, I recommend refrigerating this Jam Cake, to ensure freshness and maintaint its texture.
If your frosting is runny, then add more powdered sugar. The key is to add the powdered sugar around 1/4 cup at a time, until you achieve the right consistency – not runny but also not lumpy or too thick to spread.
Caramel Frosting can become grainy for a few reasons:
1. Not dissolving all the sugar. Undissolved sugar crystals can result in a grainy texture.
2. Stirring too quickly. When heating the butter and sugar, fast stirring can also cause crystallization.
3. Humidity. Moisture in the air can cause the sugar to absorb moisture and become grainy. In humid conditions, it may be more challenging to achieve a perfectly smooth caramel frosting.
Here are my tips on how to keep your frosting from becoming grainy:
1. Heat the butter and sugar over low heat, stirring slowly and constantly. Stirring too quickly can cause crystallization (graininess).
2. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before adding the milk. Partially dissolved sugar can also make the frosting grainy.
There are a few possible reasons why your jam cake may be dry:
1. Overbaking. Baking the cake for too long, or at too high a temperature, can lead to dryness. Follow the recommended baking time and temperature specified in the recipe. Every oven is different, so it’s important to check for doneness using a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is done.
2. Incorrect ingredient measurements. Baking is a precise science, and even small variations in ingredient quantities can affect the final texture. If you accidentally added too much flour or not enough liquid, it can result in a dry cake.
3. Lack of moisture. Jam cakes typically rely on the moisture from the jam to keep them moist. If the jam used is not sufficiently moist, or if you used too little jam, it can contribute to dryness.
4. Overmixing. Overmixing the batter can lead to the development of gluten, resulting in a dense and dry cake. Mix the ingredients just until combined.
Old Fashioned Jam Cake and Caramel Frosting Recipe
Get ready to treat your taste buds to an amazing experience with our family recipe for Blackberry Jam Cake. This cake is pure magic, combining the richness of moist, flavorful spiced cake with the tantalizing sweetness of blackberry jam. And let’s not forget the dreamy Caramel Frosting that takes this cake to the next level of decadence. Smooth, buttery, and richly caramel-flavored, it’s the perfect finishing touch.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cake Cooling time: 120 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Jam Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, preferably unbleached
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup blackberry jam – see Note
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)
Caramel Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Jam Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream the sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Blend in jam.
- Add half of the dry ingredient mixture, then half the buttermilk. Repeat and mix just until blended.
- Stop the mixer and fold in raisins and pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes in pans placed on a wire rack to cool.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan; place wire rack over the top and invert to remove cake from pan. Repeat with second cake layer. Leave on wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel Frosting:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, slowly stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk in the milk and bring to a slow boil, slowly stirring constantly.
- Take off heat and stir in vanilla.
- Stir or whisk in powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until the right consistency is reached – thick enough to frost the cake but not lumpy.
- Let cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.
Assembly:
- If the cakes have domed on the top, cut the top of the dome off so each section of the cake is fairly flat.
- Place one cake layer on the serving platter you plan to use. (Note: If you place pieces of wax paper around the edge of the serving platter and then put the cake on top, the paper will catch any frosting that drips when you frost the cake. You can then gently pull them out after you are done. This way, the serving platter stays clean.)
- Spread some of the frosting on the top of the base layer, about 1/4-inch thick.
- Take the second cake layer and place it upside down on top of the frosting (this way the smoothest side, which is the bottom during baking, is the top of your cake).
- Frost the top and sides with remaining frosting.
Notes
Note on jam: you can use any flavor jam, but blackberry is the traditional Kentucky ingredient.
Doubling the recipe: use three 9-inch cake pans.
High altitude: no adjustments are needed up to 7500 feet. Over 7500 feet, reduce baking soda to 1/4 teaspoon.
Make ahead: Cake layers can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled, well wrapped and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before frosting. Can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Frost the day of serving.
- Category: desserts, cakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Southern
(Note: this post is an update of one I originally posted back in 2010, providing more detail and tips!)
