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Kentucky Jam Cake
This old-fashioned Kentucky jam cake is rich with warm spices, blackberry jam, and toasted pecans, all stacked between layers of brown sugar caramel frosting. It’s wonderfully tender, deeply flavorful, and perfect for holiday gatherings or any cozy winter baking day.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (about 300 g) blackberry jam, seedless preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) chopped pecans (or walnuts)
- ½ cup (80 g) raisins, optional
For the brown sugar caramel frosting:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- pinch salt
- 2 to 2 ½ cups (220 to 275 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans (at least 2 inches deep), lining the bottoms with parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Mix in the blackberry jam and vanilla until smooth.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three portions, alternating with two portions of buttermilk. Mix just until combined.
- Stir in the pecans (and raisins, if using).
- Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks glossy and bubbly.
- Stir in the cream and salt. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat.
- Cool briefly (2 to 3 minutes). The mixture should no longer be bubbling and should feel warm but not hot.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer (or vigorously with a wooden spoon) until smooth and spreadable, 2 to 3 minutes. The frosting should be thick enough to hold a swoop but still easy to spread.
- Use immediately to frost the cooled cake layers. Work quickly. If the frosting starts to set while you’re working, beat in a splash of warm cream or milk to loosen.
Notes
- Jam: Seedless blackberry jam works best for a smooth texture and deep fruit flavor.
- Pan depth: Two 8-inch round cake pans at least 2 inches deep work best to prevent overflow.
- Dividing the batter: For the most even layers, use a kitchen scale to weigh the filled pans. It’s the easiest way to get them identical. If you don’t have a scale, use a large cookie scoop, measuring cup, or ladle to portion the batter evenly between the pans.
- Frosting tips: The frosting sets as it cools, so work steadily once it’s mixed. If it firms up too quickly, beat in a splash of warm cream or milk to loosen it.
- Make-ahead: This cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop, making it a perfect holiday make-ahead dessert.
- Storage: Cover and store at room temperature up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
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