Jam Cake Proposal

I decided to try the Jam Cake recipe in Cakewalk: Loving Spoonfuls from a Southern Kitchen by Robbin Gourley last weekend.  Beth made a Strawberry-Rhubarb jam and I was a bit nervous about using it because it seemed a bit runny.  In the end I think both the texture and taste would have been terrific.  The recipe calls for a seedless raspberry jam. The frosting might be yummy with cream cheese mixed in, especially if using a  strawberry jam.

I lined four pans with parchment and sprayed with baking spray.  I love a multi-layered cake.

I also love the romantic annotation for this recipe:

Sometime in 1912, Arnet Ireland began walking the seven long miles to town to sit with Miss Mattie Gibson in her family's parlor. 

One afternoon he was served the jam cake Mattie had made that morning.

Call if coincidence, she'd say, but that was the day he asked for her hand.

 Cake:
Sift together - 3-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice*
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Whisk together 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tbsps. lemon juice, 1-1/2 cup blackberry or raspberry jam and 4 eggs.

Cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1-1/2 cups sugar until fluffy.  Alternately, add some of the dry and liquid ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.  Pour the batter into the pans, smooth the tops and bake for 35 minutes or until done.  Cool in pans 10 minutes and then invert onto racks.  Cook completely before frosting.

Frosting:
Place 16 ounces of confectioners' sugar, 6 tbsps of unsalted butter (softened), 1/2 cup of jam, 2-3 tsps. flavored liqueur or vanilla extract in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until smooth.  Frost and decorate with fresh berries, if desired.

*Learned something about Allspice!