Ingredients

The following ingredients have 14 Servings
  • Softened butter and flour
  • for the pans
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • at room temperature
  • 1 cup blackberry or elderberry preserves (one 12-ounce jar)
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup seedless dark raisins
  • 12 ounces (about 2 2/3 cups) fresh blackberries or blueberries
  • 1/2 cup blackberry or elderberry preserves
  • 1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction

  • To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F
  • Butter the insides of two 9x1 1/2-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper rounds
  • Dust the pan sides with flour and tap out the excess flour
  • Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and salt together
  • Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer set on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute
  • Gradually beat in the granulated sugar
  • Continue beating until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes
  • One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition
  • Beat in the preserves
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low
  • In thirds, beat in the flour mixture, alternating with two equal additions of buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, and mix just until smooth
  • Fold in the pecans and raisins
  • Divide the batter equally among the pans and spread it out evenly
  • Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean and they have slightly pulled away from the sides of the pans, 30-35 minutes
  • Transfer to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes
  • Run a dinner knife around the inside of each pan to release the cakes
  • Invert and unmold the cakes onto the racks and discard the paper
  • Using a wide spatula, turn the cakes right side up and cool completely
  • Place one cake layer, upside down, on a 9-inch cardboard cake round or the removable bottom of a 9-inch tart pan
  • To make the filling: Gently toss the berries with the preserves in a small bowl
  • Arrange the coated berries in a single layer on the cake layer
  • Cover with the second cake layer, top-side up
  • Place the cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet
  • To make the icing: Do not make the icing until the cake is assembled
  • Bring the brown sugar, cream, butter and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking almost constantly
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low
  • Let the mixture cook at a low boil, without stirring, for 2 minutes (use a timer)
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth
  • Place the bowl in a larger bowl of iced water and stir just until the icing cools a bit and thickens slightly but is still pourable, about 30 seconds
  • Using a rubber spatula, immediately scrape and pour the warm icing over the top of the cake
  • Using an offset spatula, smooth the icing over the cake top, coaxing the excess icing down the sides and letting it drip randomly
  • Let the icing set
  • (The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with a tall cake dome, for about 8 hours
  • ) Slice the cake with a thin, long knife dipped into hot water between slices, and serve
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