Frosted Jam Cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups blackberry jam

3 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup seedless raisins

2/3 cup chopped nuts

Icing:

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups sugar

1 tbs butter

24 whole pecan halves

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F., then grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans.

Cream the butter and sugar until light then beat in the eggs and jam, blending well.

Sift the dry ingredients together and then add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, to the creamed mixture, blending well after each addition. Stir in the raisins and nuts.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the cake tests done, in the preheated oven. Cool for 5 minutes on wire racks and turn out of the cake pans to cool to room temperature. When cool, spread with warm frosting.

While cake is cooling, make frosting. Combine the cream and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, cooking at a full rolling boil for 2 minutes, (A candy thermometer will read 234 degrees F.) Cool slightly, then beat until it just begins to thicken. Beat in the butter and immediately spread between the layers and on top of the cake leaving the sides unfrosted. Decorate with the pecan halves.