1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
4 cups all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 cup blackberry jam or jelly
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add baking soda to buttermilk, then add (alternately) buttermilk and flour to mixture. Beat well. Add well beaten eggs, cup of jam, spices and salt. Beat well. Turn into three well greased (8-inch) cake pans. Bake at 350°F until cake tests done.

Jam Cake Icing:

1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook syrup, sugar and water until temperature reaches hard ball stage (250°F using a candy thermometer). Slowly pour hot syrup over stiffly beaten whites to which a dash of salt has been added. Continue beating until it is a good spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

Note: Use of a candy thermometer is recommended.

Makes 1 (3 layer) cake.

Submitted by: Vickie Ratliff