Kentucky Jam Cake Recipe (Blue Ribbon Classic)

If you grew up anywhere near the Appalachian mountains, chances are you’ve tasted—or at least heard whispered legends of—the Kentucky Jam Cake recipe. In my family, this spiced beauty appeared only twice a year: at Christmas, and again when our county fair rolled around. Aunt Louise would haul her tallest cake carrier into the exhibition hall, caramel frosting gleaming like liquid gold, and slap her entry ticket on the table. By sundown, that little blue ribbon always ended up pinned to her carrier’s handle.

What makes this cake such a show‑stopper? It’s the jam—deep purple blackberry jam folded right into the batter—keeping every crumb moist while giving a whisper of fruity tang. Paired with toasted walnuts and a luxuriously thick caramel icing, the cake tastes like the best parts of autumn, holiday spice, and warm family gatherings all wrapped into one bite.

I’ve modernized Aunt Louise’s method ever so slightly—simpler mixing order, a fool‑proof caramel frosting option—but the soul of the cake remains unchanged: nostalgic, generous, and impossible to eat quietly. Slice it tall, pass the coffee, and be ready for recipe requests.

Why You’ll Love This Kentucky Jam Cake Recipe

• No fussy layers: Three pans bake at once, no syrup brushing or crumb‑coating required.
• Jam = built‑in moisture: Blackberry jam keeps the crumb tender for days—perfect make‑ahead dessert.
• Holiday spice, everyday ease: Cinnamon and allspice bring cozy vibes without complicated spice blends.
• Freezer‑friendly: Cake layers freeze beautifully, so you can prep weeks ahead of the holidays.
• Crowd‑pleaser: One tall cake feeds 16+ guests, making it ideal for potlucks or church socials.

Ingredient Notes & Swaps

Step‑by‑Step Instructions (Active Time ≈ 25 min | Bake ≈ 1 hr | Total 2 hrs with cooling)

1. Prep

• Preheat oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Grease and flour three 8‑ or 9‑inch round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl whisk 2 ½ cups flour, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp allspice, and ½ tsp cinnamon.
• Toss 1 cup chopped walnuts with 2 Tbsp flour; set aside.

2. Cream

Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat 1 cup softened margarine (or butter) with 2 cups sugar on medium‑high until light, about 3 minutes.

3. Add Eggs & Vanilla

Beat in 5 eggs, one at a time, scraping bowl. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla.

4. Alternate Dry & Wet

Stir 1 tsp baking soda into 1 cup buttermilk. On low speed, add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour, just until combined.

5. Jam & Nuts

Fold in 1 cup blackberry jam until streaks disappear, then gently fold in floured walnuts.

6. Bake

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 55–65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool layers 10 minutes in pans, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.

Troubleshooting: If layers dome, level tops with a serrated knife before frosting for a neat stack.

7. Frost

Frost cooled layers with thick caramel icing (homemade or canned). See recipe below.

Fool‑Proof Caramel Frosting (Stovetop)

1. In a heavy saucepan combine 2 cups brown sugar, ½ cup butter, ⅓ cup evaporated milk. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.
2. Boil 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. If too thick, splash more milk; too thin, add sugar.
4. Work quickly—caramel sets as it cools. Frost cake layers immediately for that signature rustic swirled look.

Store‑bought Shortcut: Three 16‑oz cans of caramel sea‑salt icing will generously cover and fill the cake.

Serving & Storage

• Serve at room temp for the softest crumb.
• Make‑ahead: Bake layers up to 2 days ahead, wrap tightly; frost day of serving.
• Freeze: Unfrosted layers freeze up to 2 months—thaw overnight in fridge.
• Leftovers: Cover cut surfaces with plastic; cake stays moist 4–5 days.

Delicious Pairings

• A mug of Southern Sassafras Tea for authentic Appalachian flavor → https://fobdel.com/2025/05/20/sassafras-tea/
• A scoop of Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream (coming soon!).
• Learn more about Kentucky’s culinary heritage → https://www.kentuckytourism.com/food-drink

Internal Links for Extra Sweet Inspiration

• Craving more Kentucky classics? Try my Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake → https://fobdel.com/2025/03/01/kentucky-bourbon-butter-cake/
• Love caramel goodies? Whip up Caramel Pound Cake next weekend → https://fobdel.com/2024/05/17/caramel-pound-recipe/

Fun Food Debate

Are you Team Homemade Caramel Frosting or Team Store‑Bought? Drop your vote (and frosting secrets) in the comments!

FAQ

Q1: Can I substitute a different jam?
Yes—seedless raspberry or strawberry jam work, but blackberry is traditional and provides the best tart balance.

Q2: My icing crystallized—what went wrong?
Caramel can seize if boiled too long or stirred after cooling. Stick to the 3‑minute boil and frost promptly.

Q3: Can I bake this as a Bundt cake?
Absolutely! Grease a 10‑cup Bundt, bake 65–70 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before inverting.

Kentucky Jam Cake

Moist spice cake with blackberry jam, walnuts, and caramel frosting—a blue‑ribbon Southern favorite

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• - 2 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
• - ¼ tsp salt
• - 1 tsp allspice
• - ½ tsp cinnamon
• - 1 cup chopped walnuts + 2 Tbsp flour
• - 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
• - 2 cups sugar
• - 5 eggs
• - 1 tsp vanilla extract
• - 1 cup buttermilk
• - 1 tsp baking soda
• - 1 cup blackberry jam not jelly
• ### Caramel Frosting
• - 2 cups brown sugar packed
• - ½ cup butter
• - ⅓ cup evaporated milk
• - 2 cups powdered sugar
• - 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

 

• **Prep:** Heat oven to 325 °F. Grease & flour three 8‑ or 9‑in pans.
• **Dry mix:** Whisk flour, salt, allspice, cinnamon.
• **Coat walnuts** with 2 Tbsp flour.
• **Cream:** Beat margarine & sugar 3 min until fluffy.
• **Eggs & vanilla:** Add eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla.
• **Buttermilk soda:** Stir soda into buttermilk.
• **Combine:** Add flour mix alternately with buttermilk on low.
• **Jam & nuts:** Fold in jam, then walnuts.
• **Bake:** Divide batter into pans; bake 55–65 min until toothpick clean. Cool completely.
• **Frosting:** Boil brown sugar, butter, milk 3 min. Cool 5 min; whisk in powdered sugar & vanilla. Frost layers quickly.

Notes

- Substitute pecans for walnuts.
- Bundt option: Bake 65–70 min.
- Store iced cake at room temp up to 5 days.