Granny Kellett's Jam Cake

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Nov 26, 2016
Location
central NC

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The story goes that Joe Kellett was badly wounded near the end of the Civil War and managed to crawl away from the battle and hide in the brush. When the battle quieted, he crawled to a nearby farm. The family took him in and treated his wounds. While recovering from his wounds, Joe fell in love with Amanda, the family’s daughter. After the war, he finished school and came back for Amanda’s hand in marriage.

Joe Kellett and Amanda married, raised seven children together and ran a successful boardinghouse for many years. Amanda (later known as Granny Kellett) was known for serving their guests her Granny Kellett's Jam Cake.


Cake Ingredients:

Grandma’s Goop (see thread by this title) for greasing the pans
1 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or black walnuts
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup seedless jam (flavor of your choice, but many like blackberry)
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup raisins

Caramel Frosting Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
1½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions for the cake:

Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9" round cake pans with Grandma’s Goop and set the pans aside.

While the oven preheats, place the nuts on a baking sheet in the oven and let the nuts toast until just beginning to brown (4 to 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven and let the nuts cool.

Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium mixer speed until each egg is combined. Add the jam and blend on low until thoroughly combined.

Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour and set aside. In a separate medium size bowl, sift together the remaining flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk until dissolved. Add a third of the flour mixture to the egg batter and blend on low until mixed.

Pour in half of the buttermilk and blend until mixed. Repeat with the second third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and the last of the flour mixture.

Place the toasted nuts, raisins and the remaining tablespoon of flour in a large bowl and toss to coat the nuts and raisins with the flour. Fold these into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cakes until they just begin to pull back from the edges of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed (38 to 42 minutes). Remove the pans to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, give the pans a gentle shake and invert the layers once and then again so they cool right side up. Let them cool for 30 to 40 minutes before frosting.


Directions for the frosting: (adapted from the cookbook, LaRue County Kitchens of Kentucky)

Place the butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until the mixture boils, about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Use right away.


Directions for assembling the cake:

Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spoon about a third of the warm caramel frosting over the top and spread it to it smooth out. Place the second layer on top and spoon the remaining frosting over the top, letting it trickle down the sides of the cake. Let the cake rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
 
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Pinterest
The story goes that Joe Kellett was badly wounded near the end of the Civil War and managed to crawl away from the battle and hide in the brush. When the battle quieted, he crawled to a nearby farm. The family took him in and treated his wounds. While recovering from his wounds, Joe fell in love with Amanda, the family’s daughter. After the war, he finished school and came back for Amanda’s hand in marriage.

Joe Kellett and Amanda married, raised seven children together and ran a successful boardinghouse for many years. Amanda (later known as Granny Kellett) was known for serving their guests her Granny Kellett's Jam Cake.


Cake Ingredients:

Grandma’s Goop (see thread by this title) for greasing the pans
1 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or black walnuts
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup seedless jam (flavor of your choice, but many like blackberry)
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup raisins

Caramel Frosting Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1½ cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
1½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions for the cake:

Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9" round cake pans with Grandma’s Goop and set the pans aside.

While the oven preheats, place the nuts on a baking sheet in the oven and let the nuts toast until just beginning to brown (4 to 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven and let the nuts cool.

Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium mixer speed until each egg is combined. Add the jam and blend on low until thoroughly combined.

Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour and set aside. In a separate medium size bowl, sift together the remaining flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk until dissolved. Add a third of the flour mixture to the egg batter and blend on low until mixed.

Pour in half of the buttermilk and blend until mixed. Repeat with the second third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and the last of the flour mixture.

Place the toasted nuts, raisins and the remaining tablespoon of flour in a large bowl and toss to coat the nuts and raisins with the flour. Fold these into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cakes until they just begin to pull back from the edges of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed (38 to 42 minutes). Remove the pans to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, give the pans a gentle shake and invert the layers once and then again so they cool right side up. Let them cool for 30 to 40 minutes before frosting.


Directions for the frosting: (adapted from the cookbook, LaRue County Kitchens of Kentucky)

Place the butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until the mixture boils, about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Use right away.


Directions for assembling the cake:

Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spoon about a third of the warm caramel frosting over the top and spread it to it smooth out. Place the second layer on top and spoon the remaining frosting over the top, letting it trickle down the sides of the cake. Let the cake rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Sort of like a spice cake...sounds good.
 
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