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valchemist
05-12-2003, 09:56 AM
Like Anna, I made a cake for myself for Mother's Day. (I had instructed DH that he is not to get me anything or do anything for me, since I am not his mother. Someday, Julia will get me a nice card or homemade gift. I can wait.)

This cake is really delicious. I loved the berry/spice combination. Be careful not to go overboard on the spices, otherwise they will overshadow the taste of the jam. If anything, I would actually cut back a tiny bit on the spices -- maybe use 3/4 tsp of each spice.

The frosting is delicious, but it is quite sweet. The recipe doesn't make a ton of frosting, so the ratio of frosting to cake is just right in this case.

I baked it in a Bundt, and it just barely fit. I think this would also work well in three 8-inch round pans.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Fourth Generation Blackberry Jam Cake

Recipe By :Paula Deen
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Cake:
1 c vegetable shortening
1 1/3 c sugar
4 eggs
4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 c buttermilk
2 c blackberry jam
1 c chopped pecans -- (I omitted these)
1 c raisins -- (I omitted these)
Caramel Icing:
1/2 c butter
1 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c milk
2 c confectioner's sugar -- sifted

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 10-inch cake pans or a tube pan.

For the cake, in a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Sift the flour with the baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in the nuts and raisins, then stir in the jam. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. If using the 10-inch pans, bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pans. If using the tube pan, bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto cake racks to cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the icing. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk and continue stirring until the mixture returns to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Let cool. Add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until the icing is thick enough to spread. Fill and ice the cake.

Source:
"The Lady and Sons, Too!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 513 Calories; 18g Fat (31.1% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 85g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 56mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 4 Other Carbohydrates.

VictoriaL
05-12-2003, 10:23 AM
Val, that sounds like a delicious cake! Do you think that butter could be used in place of the vegetable shortening (I've quit using shortening because of the hydrogenated fat). Or would the butter flavor overpower the jam flavor?

Alethea
05-12-2003, 10:35 AM
Thanks for posting--this looks delicious! It also sounds very similar to a cake my grandmother used to make, it takes my back to childhood.... :)

valchemist
05-12-2003, 11:41 AM
Vicci,

I think butter would work fine. I wouldn't worry about overpowering the jam. (The only reason I made the comment about the spices is that I think there is a pretty high amount of spices in this cake -- I rarely see recipes that call for a full teaspoon of nutmeg and a full teaspoon of allspice.)

Val


oh, forgot to mention -- the frosting is quite thick and hard to spread using the full two cups of powdered sugar. I would use a bit less next time. that would cut back on the sweetness, too. It hardens up quickly, so you should use it right after you make it. I really love the frosting.

oh, and one more thing. if you cut this into 18 slices as suggested, the pieces are very big. as I mentioned, I baked it in a bundt, and it barely fit. the level of the cake is higher than the sides of the pan. so you could get away with cutting this into smaller slices for sure.

Sami
05-12-2003, 01:14 PM
Thanks for posting the recipe, Val. I will save it for when I have a large crowd here. Sami

Vicanddi
05-12-2003, 02:51 PM
Val,

Thanks for posting this yummy sounding recipe. I am wondering if the frosting is needed. We are not real big on frosting. How do you think it would taste with just some powder sugar sifted on top of the cake?

valchemist
05-12-2003, 04:06 PM
dianne,

the cake would be fine without the frosting. powdered sugar would be great on it! I think DH actually would prefer it without the frosting since he isn't big on sweet things.

val

Gracie
05-13-2003, 05:21 AM
Another question, Val - blackberries are on sale this week at 99 cents a half pint. Would this work with fresh blackberries instead of jam?

Loren

valchemist
05-13-2003, 05:43 AM
good question, Loren. actually, the jam probably provides some needed moisture to the cake that the whole berries wouldn't provide. but I'll bet if you puree the berries to make 2 cups, it would work. sounds fabulous!

or you could always make the cake as is and instead of making the frosting, use blackberries for garnish.

maizeyoats
05-13-2003, 05:53 AM
Loren,
I really don't think the fresh berries would work in this cake.
I just came back from Stop & Shop with a bunch of the fresh blackberries and I am going to use them to make a blackberry crisp from THE LADY & SONS JUST DESSERTS cookbook.
Let me know what you decide to do with yours.

Gracie
05-13-2003, 06:20 AM
Thanks Virginia. Can you post the blackberry crisp recipe? I'd love to use the blackberries. How did they look at the store? You know how sometimes they're beginning to mold even while they're sitting at the store.

Loren

maizeyoats
05-13-2003, 06:45 AM
Loren, the blackberries looked very good.
FRESH BLACKBERRY CRISP
4 cups fresh blackberries, or frozen blackberries thawed and drained well.
2 cups of sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, for serving.

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter sides and bottom of a 9x2 inch square pan.
Put blackberries in a bowl, sprinkle with one cup of the sugar. Stir together flour and remaining one cup sugar and cinnamon. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until crumbly. Pour sugared berries into aprepared pan, and cover with flour mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 min. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

maizeyoats
05-13-2003, 07:15 AM
I was looking at an old recipe that I have for Blackberry Jam cake. It called for butter not oil and the only spices were cinnamon and nutmeg and 3/4 tsp. each.
Val's cake was very good but I did think the spices over-whelmed the taste of the blackberry jam. Val's frosting was delicious. My recipe did not call for frosting.

Gracie
05-13-2003, 07:50 AM
Thanks Virginia. I like simple recipes and the blackberry crisp is great!

Loren

ShanaG
09-26-2003, 05:08 PM
I am finally getting around to making this cake. Now, revealing my baking ignorance here :) what exactly is a "tube pan"? Is this the kind of pan angel food cakes are baked in?

Val, you said the cake batter barely fit in a bundt pan ... did it overflow, or could I get away with using one, and it will just be really full?

Thanks!

sweetpea
09-26-2003, 05:56 PM
Shana--yes, a tube pan is also known as an angel food cake pan, at least it means the same to me! Not sure about your other question, but wanted to answer what i could!!

valchemist
09-26-2003, 06:31 PM
Originally posted by ShanaG
Val, you said the cake batter barely fit in a bundt pan ... did it overflow, or could I get away with using one, and it will just be really full?

Thanks!

it fit in my bundt pan without overflowing.

ShanaG
09-26-2003, 06:45 PM
Thanks, Sweatpea and Val. Since it seems that either pan will work, I think I'll use whichever pan looks bigger :)

ShanaG
09-28-2003, 05:44 PM
I just pulled this cake from the oven 15 minutes ago. It smelled so good that I just could not wait until it had cooled and been frosted to try a slice. Yum, it is delicious! I'm looking forward to trying a slice with the frosting later tonight.

As I read through this thread again tonight, I realized that I used the recipe posted earlier on this thread for Fresh Blackberry Crisp, and never said thank you. I liked this so much, that I made it several times, including once when I was visiting my parents this summer, and they loved it too. So, a belated thanks to Virginia for posting that recipe :)

Yes, I love blackberries :D