1 c. butter
1 c. blackberry jam
1 c. fig preserves
3 c. flour
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. allspice
1 c. pecans, grated, or crushed with mortar and pestle
1 c. sugar
1 c. strawberry preserves
5 egg yolks, well beaten
1 c. buttermilk
1 tbsp. cinnamon
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Cream butter and sugar; add jam and preserves. Add the well-beaten egg yolks and beat until smooth. Add soda alternately with buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to whole milk and let sit a few minutes).

Mix well after every addition. Add the spices and nuts and mix well. Fold in the stiffly-beaten egg whites. Bake in two 11-inch, well-greased and floured layer pans in a 400 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Frost with caramel frosting.

CARAMEL FROSTING:

3 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. milk

Into a heavy iron skillet or enamel casserole, measure 3 cups white sugar and add 1 cup butter, cook over high heat until lightly browned, about the color of a shelled pecan. Stir constantly to keep from burning. Add 1 1/2 cups sweet milk to the mixture slowly, and cook until slightly warm.

Beat until smooth with electric beater (transfer mixture to large mixing bowl). While still not thick enough to hold shape, smooth 2 tablespoons of icing on each layer. This will soak in and make the cake moist. Beat remainder of icing until it holds shape. This takes a long time and can be made easier by placing bowl in a basin of cold water while beating.

When the icing holds its shape, frost between layers, on top and sides. This cake is trouble, but well worth it. An electric beater is a necessity. This cake is better if made a few days ahead and covered and allowed to mellow.