Big Momma’s Blackberry Jam Cake

This one’s a real Southern recipe from one of our team members’ grandmother called, you guessed it, Big Momma. With blackberry jam mixed right into the buttermilk batter, each bite of cake is both sweet and tangy and bursting with delicious flavor.

Servings: MAKES A 9-INCH TRIPLE-LAYER CAKE; SERVES 12 TO 16

Ingredients

• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup walnuts (halves or pieces)
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup Loveless Cafe Blackberry Preserves
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans.
2. Line the bottoms of pans with parchment paper and grease the paper.
3. Put the golden raisins in a small saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool completely; drain well.
4. Meanwhile, spread out the walnuts in a small baking pan and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool, then chop evenly.
5. Sift the flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda into a bowl and set aside.
6. With an electric mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and salt in a large bowl at medium-low speed until light and fluffy.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl.
8. Add the blackberry preserves and mix it in completely.
9. Add the reserved dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice.
10. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.
11. Divide the batter among the pans.
12. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a rack, remove the paper, and let cool completely.

Coconut Caramel Glaze

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark brown sugar (packed)
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place the brown sugar, butter, half-and-half, coconut, and flour in a large shallow, heavy saucepan.
2. Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture is completely blended and just begins to boil.
3. Continue to boil gently, whisking occasionally, until the glaze thickens slightly, 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour the glaze into a bowl.
5. Let cool slightly.
6. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until tepid and thickened but still runny enough to drop from a spoon like a thick sauce, about 1 hour.