Oohs, Ahhs Jam Cake

DEAR SOS: I’d love to have the recipe for a Southern jam cake like the ones found in Kentucky or Tennessee.

--CHRIS

DEAR CHRIS: You’re in luck. It so happens that Katherine Fenady, a neighbor and native of Kentucky, shared her recipe, which she too oohs and ahhs over. Triple sifting is one of her secrets.

MRS. FENADY’S KENTUCKY JAM CAKE

CAKE

1 3/4 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup oil, plus extra for greasing pans

1 cup seedless blackberry jam

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans, plus extra for garnish, optional

PRALINE ICING

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup buttermilk

3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

CAKE

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Repeat sifting two more times. Set aside.

Beat sugar and eggs until creamy. Add buttermilk, oil and jam and beat until sugar dissolves. Add flour mixture and beat well. Stir in vanilla and pecans.

Pour into 2 well-greased 9-inch-square pans or one 13x9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees until cake springs back when touched in center, about 40 minutes.

ICING

Grease sides of 4-quart saucepan with some of butter. Combine rest of butter, buttermilk, sugar, syrup and baking soda in pan and heat to boiling. Boil, stirring constantly, until thermometer reaches 238 degrees. Beat with electric mixer 7 minutes.

Spread over top and sides of cake or cakes. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if desired.

12 to 16 servings. Each of 16 servings:

550 calories; 339 mg sodium; 72 mg cholesterol; 27 grams fat; 77 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.36 gram fiber.

* Wire cake stand, table cloth and bowl from Windows, Pasadena.