Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Rombauer Jam Cake

This recipe was adapted from Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker. This version was published by Michael Chiarello in Napa Stories (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang 2001).
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 taspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons butter or shortening
1 cup packed (hs note: dark!) brown sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup raspberry or blackberry jam
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

For the quick brown-sugar icing:
1 1/2 cups (hs note: dark!) brown sugar
5 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 7-inch tube pan or Bundt pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Cream butter and brown sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in sour cream. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until barely blended. Stir in jam and nuts. Pour into buttered pan. Bake until done, about 30 minutes. When cool, invert the cake onto a platter and ice with quick brown-sugar icing.

Make the icing:
Combine brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt and cook slowly to the boiling point. Remove from heat. Cool slightly, then add vanilla. Beat the icing until it can be spread.

Makes one 7-inch cake.