Kentucky Jam Cake
A very nice way to celebrate spring time!
Ingredients
200 g raisins
500 g crushed pineapple, undrained
300 g cups all-purpose flour
20 g baking soda
20 g ground cinnamon
20 g ground nutmeg
10 g ground allspice
120 g vegetable shortening
100 g butter, at room temperature
150 g granulated sugar
5 large eggs
200 g seedless blackberry jam
200 ml buttermilk
100 g chopped pecans
1 warm batch Kentucky Caramel Icing (recipe follows)
Kentucky Caramel Icing:
200 g butter
200 g packed light brown sugar
70 ml whole milk
10 g vanilla extract
450 g confectioners' sugar
Directions
Day 1: In a small bowl, combine the raisins and pineapple (with juice). Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour two 24 cm round cake pans (or use nonstick baking spray with flour) and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until they are well blended. Mix in the jam. At this point it will look like blackberry soup. Turn off the mixer and add half of the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the buttermilk and blend. Add the second half of the dry ingredients, again mixing on low speed until just combined. Use a spatula to fold in the pineapple and raisin mixture. Fold in the pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the cakes in the pans on top of wire racks for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the cakes out onto the wire racks and let cool completely.
When the cakes have cooled, make the icing. Place the bottom cake layer on a serving platter. Use a knife or an angled spatula to ice the top with a very thick layer of icing, being generous, as this will be a filling layer. Do not ice the sides. Add the second layer of cake and frost the top only.
Kentucky Caramel Icing: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Slowly add the milk and bring the mixture back to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to lukewarm.
Add the vanilla and stir to blend. Pour the caramel mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or leave in the pan and use a handheld electric mixer. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the icing has a smooth consistency.
Day 2: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour two 24 cm round cake pans (or use nonstick baking spray with flour) and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until they are well blended. Mix in the jam. At this point it will look like blackberry soup. Turn off the mixer and add half of the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the buttermilk and blend. Add the second half of the dry ingredients, again mixing on low speed until just combined. Use a spatula to fold in the pineapple and raisin mixture. Fold in the pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the cakes in the pans on top of wire racks for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the cakes out onto the wire racks and let cool completely.
When the cakes have cooled, make the icing. Place the bottom cake layer on a serving platter. Use a knife or an angled spatula to ice the top with a very thick layer of icing, being generous, as this will be a filling layer. Do not ice the sides. Add the second layer of cake and frost the top only.
Kentucky Caramel Icing: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Slowly add the milk and bring the mixture back to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to lukewarm.
Add the vanilla and stir to blend. Pour the caramel mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or leave in the pan and use a handheld electric mixer. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the icing has a smooth consistency.
