Blackberry Jam Cake

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 175 degrees Celsius. Next, take a moment to grease three round cake pans with a generous amount of oil or cooking spray, and set them aside for the time being.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter using an electric mixer to create a smooth and creamy mixture. Gradually add eggs one at a time, blending each egg thoroughly into the mixture before proceeding to the next addition. As you mix, pay close attention to the consistency of your batter.

In a separate small bowl, dissolve baking soda into water and then stir it back in with the jam. Combine dry ingredients such as flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl; then incorporate these dry ingredients into the batter by hand, alternating with buttermilk as you go. Make sure to mix everything thoroughly.

Fold in black walnuts and raisins into the batter until they are evenly distributed. Divide the batter equally among the prepared cake pans, spreading it out in an even layer to ensure each cake is well-coated.

Place the prepared cakes into the preheated oven and bake until they spring back when lightly touched, approximately 35 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in their pans until they are no longer hot to handle.

Once the cakes have cooled enough, invert them over a wire rack and carefully remove the pans to allow the cakes to cool completely on their own.