Blackcurrant Jam Cake

Thursday 15 April 2010



Well, it's taken several weeks, but I am thankfully back online now! All the boxes are unpacked and we are finally settled into our new home. Well, almost settled anyways!

It's been a whole lot of fun trying to cram all of our belongings into a much smaller place . . . NOT! There's been ever so much we have had to get rid of . . .



The first thing was my lovely electric cooker. Yes . . . I don't know why we didn't notice it before we moved in . . . but . . . there was no point in the kitchen on which to hook up our electric cooker . . . only a gas point.



We ended up having to go out and buy a new gas cooker. It was kind of exciting, really!! Todd wasn't too thrilled about it, but as most women know, there is nothing like a new cooker to put a smile on your face!

I wasn't very smart though . . . there was only a small space to fit one in to and I didn't want to make Todd do a lot of extra work by having to trim the counter edge to fit a large one in and so I went for a more compact model that would easily fit.



Besides . . . it was really cute. I just love toast done under a gas grill . . . sigh . . . that was something I had missed the whole time we were down in Kent . . .

Don't you think it's really cute? I fell in love with the gold buttons and handles and well . . . I just fell in love with everything about the way it looked!



It wasn't until I went to bake something in the oven for the first time that I realized . . . it is much, much smaller inside the oven than what I have been used to. I had thought it was plenty large at the shop . . . but when you take the heat shields into consideration . . . I lose about 6 inches off of the inside.

*Note to self . . . don't get too carried away with how something looks in the future, be a bit more practical and take measurements into consideration.



Half of my pans don't fit. They are too wide and you can't get the door shut with them in it. This meant that I had to go out and buy some new pans. Oh woe is me . . . woe is me . . .



It also means that when I bake a double layer cake, I have to have both layers on different racks in the oven. The top layer bakes quicker than the bottom one . . . so I found myself having to switch the racks halfway through the baking time.

Which was rather dumb of me actually as, in retrospect, I could have just taken the top layer out a bit sooner than the bottom . . . which is what I will do next time.



I was in Lakeland buying some new pans and saw these handy dandy pan liners . . . kind of like big muffin pan liners, but for larger pans and for loaf pans as well. I bought some as I thought it would be a lot quicker to use them than to have to trace and cut baking parchment.



It was quicker, but . . . my cake layers ended up being a bit lopsided. What with the combination of me switching shelves halfway through the baking time and using paper tin liners, it's a wonder my cake turned out at all when I think about it.

It turned out fabulous. Each layer moist and perfectly ribboned with delicious swirls of blackcurrant preserves . . . the centre filling of buttercream and more blackcurrant preserves being oh so yummy, yummy.

This fabulous cake went down a real treat! It was the most perfect way to celebrate a new home and a new beginning!




*Blackcurrant Jam Cake*
Serves 8 to 10
Printable Recipe

A deliciously moist cake, with ribbons of black currant conserve running through the sponge layers, and filled with tasty vanilla butter cream icing and more conserve. Scrummy yummy!!

8 ounces plain flour (1 3/4 cup) (245g)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
284ml of buttermilk or sour milk (1 1/4 cup)
(to sour the milk add a tsp of lemon juice
Or vinegar to the measure and finish with milk.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes before using)
8 ounces caster sugar (226g, or 1 1/4 cup)
5 ounces butter, at room temperature (142g of 10 TBS)
2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla
4 ounces blackcurrant conserve (about 1/2 cup)

For the butter cream:
2 ounces butter, at room temperature (56g, 1/4 cup, or 4 TBS)
4 ounces icing sugar, sifted (114g or 14 TBS)
A few drops of vanilla
1 tsp milk

To finish:
2 heaped TBS of blackcurrant conserve
Icing sugar to dust over the top
Preheat the oven to 170*C/320*F/Gas Mark 3. Butter and base line two 8 inch sandwich tins.

Place all of the cake batter ingredients, with the exception of the blackcurrant conserve into a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk for several minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl down now and then, until you have a smooth batter.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins. Whisk the conserve with a fork until smooth. Dot over the surface of the cakes into 5 dollops on each. Using a round bladed knife, drag and swirl the jam through the cake.

Bake in the heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the cakes test done. The top should spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean. Remove from the oven and loosen from the tin. Let rest for about 10 minutes before removing completely to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To make the butter cream, place all of the ingredients into a bowl. Beat well with an electric whisk until it is smooth and fluffy.

Place one of the sponges on a plate. Spread the butter cream over top. Top with the blackcurrant conserve, swirling it over a bit. Top with the remaining sponge, right side up. Lightly dust with icing sugar to serve.

26 comments

  1. Yay I am so happy you are back!! You have no idea how much you have been missed! Glad things are going well except for the size of your kitchen cabinets. Cute stove. I know you can cook on a campfire and make the best food around! Welcome back dear friend..Love, B

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh I am so glad you are back. I was getting worried. How are you liking Chester?

    Your cake looks totally scrumptious.

    Happy New Home

    Sheilagh

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, yay! The world is right once again! Marie is back in her English Kitchen!!! I was about to head off to bed, and I just thought I'd take a peek into Blogland, and here you are, dear friend!

    I'm so glad you're securely tucked into your new home, even though it is smaller...your cooker is adorable--I would have fallen in love with it, too! You'll get used to it, and make things even more fabulous because of it, I know!

    Looking forward to more news about your new home and the town...so glad you're back! Much love sent out to you, my friend--my heart is happy as I go off to dreamland......!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bienvenida. Esta receta se ve excelente. Un saludo9

    ReplyDelete
  5. Welcome back!!! I was just thinking as my reader loaded up this morning how good it would be if you were back on line and here you are ;0)
    Your new kitchen looks lovely, very bright and summery and the new cooker fits in a dream. It is a shame about the size restrictions though. But I thought your cake turned out really well, looks pretty scrummy to me ;0)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad you're getting sorted Marie and are back online! Chester is such a nice place, you will both be very happy there xoxo
    PS: I hope my card got to you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Welcome back Marie, good to see you here again.... I did miss you :-(
    As for Gas cookers.... they'll take a bit of getting used to, I find they cook quicker at the back where the heat source is and things need turning round... I'm sure you'll get used to it in a flask and you're right, it does look kind of cute. lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. Welcome back Marie!! First off, I must agree- those gold knobs and handles are adorable! I'm sure you were quite horrified to see the pans didn't fit- they can be quite pricey too. So glad you're back and the cake looks like it came out perfectly!
    xoxo Pattie

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh Marie, what a welcome sight when I saw you were back...I've MISSED you!
    Your new cooker looks so sweet, as others have said, I'm sure your cooking will taste just as good as before!~~~Love, Pat xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. So happy you're back, Marie! Missed you soooo much! LOVE this cake.. and LOVE you, my friend. :o) ((HUGS))

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome back! Your new range is stylishly adorable. Happy baking!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have missed your posts!~
    Happiness to you in your new home..The stove and kitchen are adorable:)

    I love the gold accents also..Did you relocate far away?

    It's a lot of work to move isn't it?

    The cake looks great as everything you make does.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad to have you back on-line dear Marie! While you were away I've had to clear the decks in my kitchen & move to Lo-Fat everything, as MOTH's serum cholesterol has reached record-breaking levels. It's been a challenge, but we are managing. However, it won't keep me away from The English Kitchen, I can still dream!
    Millie ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm chiming in too to welcome you back Marie! I've missed you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I make mistakes like that all the time!

    So glad to have you back online. Yummy cake!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I feel your pain over the small oven. When mine died a few years ago there were only 2 models that would fit the space. And even then the installer had to trim a bit from the surrounding cabinetry. Pan size or baking sheets with handles are carefully checked before anything goes in the oven!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I adore your new stove. I love gas, and I really do like small things. I hope you don't get too frustrated with the small oven. You cake looks fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Marie,
    I have really been thinking about you and wondering how you are doing in your new little corner.
    Your new stove it really cute; what I would give to have a gas stove. That cake looks incredible and sounds easy to make.
    Hope you are happy in your new surroundings; it might turn our to be the best thing that ever happened to you.
    Life is wierd that way, don't you think?
    Hugs,
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  19. your new cooker is sooo cute! the cake looks delish and i am so happy you have returned :)
    blessings,
    aimee

    ReplyDelete
  20. Me too - welcome back. Missed your lovely blogging. The kitchen looks so cute - the stove is so retro, I feel like I'm looking at a snap from the 50's. And the jam cake matches the retro theme so well.
    Hope you are settling in.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Keith absolutely adores this kind of cake and Friday seems like a good day to make it, so I shall!

    Gas cookers do tend to vary quite a lot in internal dimensions but I see yours has a pans drawer at the bottom - that almost always means a smaller oven. Never mind, you'll adapt.

    Ilove those Lakeland liners and I use them most of the time now. I think it's a shame they don't do shallower ones - specially round. But I also use their pre-cut lining circles and that;s all you really need for a sandwich cake. I'm all for making life easy!

    ReplyDelete
  22. So glad you're back, Marie. I do think your new stove is very pretty indeed. I sympathize with your plight, though, about its oven being small. I used to rent a house, years ago, that had an oven with the same problem. Not fun! Your cake, however, looks utterly scrumptious and doesn't seem to have suffered for it. I wish I could find cake liners like the ones you used. I've never seen them to sale here. May I have a slice of that cake now? With a hot cup of coffee, please?

    :) Jane

    ReplyDelete
  23. This cake looks great. So yummy! I hope you have settled into your new house now....I'm sure you'll sort out the oven soon. I am looking forward to reading your blogs again.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Looks fabulous, I was searching for a recipe with blackcurrants, thanks for sharing, great blog.

    ReplyDelete
  25. This was so good. We each had a large piece well I had two actually. Very moist. This one's a keeper or maybe I'll just tell everyone I made it up myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so pleased it was enjoyed, thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know! xoxo

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you so do not be shy!


BEFORE LEAVING A COMMENT OR RATING, ASK YOURSELF:
Did you make the recipe as directed? Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.

Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.

Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising helps to defray my cost of doing so, and allows me to continue to post regular fresh content.

Thanks so much for your understanding! I appreciate you!