This Bundt-A-Month was tough for me. Not because I don’t like jam, the theme (I do!!), but because figuring out how to successfully incorporate the jam into the cake was hard for me. My first cake was a pretty big flop. Like throw it out for the birds and squirrels kind of flop! It was not inedible, but it was not worth the calories. I have not totally given up on the idea I had, but until I figure out how to make it work, that is all I am saying about that!
When I first started thinking about this month’s theme (which included jellies and preserves too), all I could think about was Great (great great) Grandma Kelly’s Jam Cake. If you are at all interested in either using jam in cakes or heirloom baking, I highly recommend checking out both the recipe and the cake. My mom and I figured out the recipe was at least 130 years old! But I have shared it before and I wanted to try something new for this month’s Bundt-A-Month.
Next I considered a swirl. That was the disaster. And I know my idea was workable, but have you ever gotten so irritable at trying to make something work that you need to take a break from it and try something new? Yeah that was me. So no jam swirl.
So that left a glaze. After that I needed to figure out what kind of cake I wanted to glaze. For whatever reason I could not get cardamom and orange out of my head. It was a bit of a crapshoot, as I wasn’t positive the flavors would work together, but I went for it. I found a recipe to work with in Ken Haedrich’s Simple Desserts, 
Here’s how you can be a part of #BundtaMonth:
• Simple rule: Bake us a bundt using your favorite jam
• Post it before November 30, 2013
• Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title could read – #BundtaMonth: Raspberry Jam Bundt with Peanut Butter Glaze)
• Add your entry to the Linky tool below
• Link back to our announcement posts
Even more bundt fun! Follow Bundt-a-Month on Facebook where we feature all our gorgeous bundt cakes. Or head over to our Pinterest board for inspiration and choose from hundreds of Bundt cake recipes. For jam inspiration, check out all of our announcement posts:
Aloha Cake by Veronica at My Catholic Kitchen
Blueberry and Lemon Bundt by Holly at a A Baker’s House
Cranberry Pear Pumpkin Cake by Kate at Food Babbles
Crabapple Yogurt Bundt Cake by Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
Cream Cheese Black Cherry Bundt Cake by Anuradha at Baker Street
Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Blueberry Jam by Sandra at The Sweet Sensations
Guava Cream Cheese Bundt Cakeby Kathya at Basic N Delicious
Raspberry Jam Bundt with Peanut Butter Glaze by Lora at Cake Duchess
Spiced Bundt Cake with Berry Jam & Cream Cheese Swirl by Heather at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
Sticky Toffee Bundt Cake with Cranberry Jelly Glaze by Felice at All That’s Left are the Crumbs
Sticky Fig Bundt by Anita at Hungry Couple NYC
Strawberry Jam Glazed Spiced Pound Cake with Buttermilk and Orange by Laura at The Spiced Life
Strawberry Lemon Bundt with Strawberry Jam Glaze by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
Triple Blackberry Bundt by Tara at Noshing with the Nolands
- 4 cups (509 g) AP flour
- 1/4 cup potato starch you can sub cornstarch if necessary
- 2 t baking soda
- 1 t fine sea salt
- 1 T ground cardamom if freshly ground use a little less, 2 1/2 t
- 1 t Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 cup (8 oz) 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- zest of one orange or 1/8 t orange oil
- 6 large eggs
- 2 t vanilla
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 3/4 cup good quality strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup sugar
- juice of half lime or lemon
- small pinch of fine sea salt
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan (if you use a 10 cup pan, as I did, you will have batter for 2 mini loaf pans as well). Set aside.
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Whisk together the flour, potato starch, baking soda, salt, cardamom and Ceylon cinnamon. Set aside.
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Beat the butter in a stand mixer (or with a handheld mixer) until creamy. Add the sugar gradually, in about 5 additions, beating to incorporate on medium low speed. Add the orange zest or oil with the last addition. When all of the sugar has been incorporated, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then beat on medium high speed until lightened and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl every 2-3 eggs. Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed until completely incorporated and fluffy.
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On the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, in 5 and 4 additions respectively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. When you have added the last of the flour mixture, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium-high speed for 15 seconds to make sure everything has completely incorporated, but do not mix any longer at that speed.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan/s. Bake, about 30 minutes for mini loaves and 60-75 minutes for bundt cakes, until the cake is golden, pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached.
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Let cool in the pan on a cooking rack for 5 minutes (mini loaves) or 12 minutes (larger bundt cakes) before turning out onto a cooking rack to cool completely.
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While the cake is cooling, mix together the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze has loosened into something easily poured over a cake. Let stand for 5-10 minutes to allow it to cool off a bit and thicken just a bit.
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Place wax paper underneath the cooling rack. Pour the glaze over the cake--if desired, be prepared to remove the wax paper, replacing it with fresh, and pouring the "drippings" back over the cake a second time. Repeat as many times as you have the patience and desire for-twice is usually my max!
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A jam glaze will probably not perfectly set, unless it is very dry where you are. So do not plan to wrap this cake in plastic wrap, but rather store in a cake keeper or under a dome on a cake stand.
That’s so cool, Laura, that you’ve got an heirloom recipe that’s 130 years old. Woo hop! Great instinct to go with the cardamom and orange..Bet it is yummy =)
I hate it when recipe concepts just don’t work out the way I’d planned…and it does happen way more often than I’d care to admit!
This cake sounds lovely though! I am such a fan of cardamom with citrus and I’m sure the jam gives it a nice tart sweetness.
Gosh you were determined this month– well done on finding a menthod that worked for you. And your birds and squirrels must be the happiest around to get your baking treats! Beautiful cake!
Cardamom and orange??!! oh my!! LOVE! I am sold! I bet this was wonderful with the strawberry jam!
I knew I was going to like this recipe when you gave us a sneak peek on FB. What a great combination! Love! Love! Love! orange.
This looks incredibly moist and the orange is fantastic!
I’ve got to check out that family heirloom recipe-130 years old-incredible! And this bundt you settled on is incredible! I know how you feel when you’re determined to make something. My jam didn’t do exactly what I wanted it to do but the challenge was still fun. Love your perfect fruity glaze!
That looks beautiful Laura. And I bet your birds and squirrels were quite pleased =)
Strawberry jam has to be one of my favorites!! Your bundt looks so very good!!! Gorgeous picture too!!
Laura….what a beautiful cake! That glaze is just gorgeous! And I love the fruit flavors and spices you chose…especially the cardamom! I bet this is so perfectly moist, sticky and sweet!
Sorry that your first cake did not work out as planned, but I’m sure you made some birds and squirrels very happy ;). I love the flavor combinations that you chose for your bundt, especially the cardamom, and the glaze is spectacular. I just keep saying yum every time I look at your photos.
Success at last. This is beautiful!
great idea for a glaze–i like the idea of some lime in there too!
So pretty and I love that glaze!
I love the #bundtamonth idea – can you tell me how I can join up?? Your jam bundt cake looks amazing.
Sure! Are you on Facebook? Friend me there, “Laura Tabacca” or email me at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com –the more the merrier!
Looks so gorgeous… awesome captures too!!
This cake is gorgeous!