Family Chefmate: Carmel Maple Blackberry Jam Cake

I was waiting yesterday to give blood when I found this terrific recipe from Paula Deen in November's Good Housekeeping Magazine. I just had try this new cake recipe when I got home. This southern cake is rich with spices and pecans and then filled with a boysenberry filling. The frosting is rich with butter, maple syrup and brown sugar. When I iced the cake this morning my dog Brownie begged me to have a lick of the rich carmel maple icing. I finally gave in and gave Brownie and myself a lick of that tempting carmel maple frosting. I changed this recipe to make the cake healthier by replacing the white flour with whole wheat pastry flour. Then I replaced the vegetable shortening with canola oil and replaced the regular buttermilk with 1% butterfat buttermilk. Lastly, I reduced the 1 1/2 cups of white sugar the recipe called for with organic cane sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup and reduced the amount of sugar. The icing was redeveloped as well to reduce the sugar and animal fat.

Carmel Maple Blackberry Jam Cake:
Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees
Serves: 12

4 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons soft butter
3/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
4 large eggs
1 cup low fat 1% buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans

Filling:
2 cups boysenberry jam

Icing:
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup none fat milk
2 1/2 cups confectionary sugar
1 cup blackberries for garnish

Place the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment cream the canola oil, soft butter, organic cane sugar, brown sugar and maple syrup together for 3 minutes. Then add the 4 eggs one at a time mixing in between each egg addition. Then add the flour spice mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Then add the chopped pecans to the batter. Continue to mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. Spray two 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray with flour. Then split the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Test the cake to make sure it is done by placing a tooth pick into the batter. If any batter remains on the toothpick the cake is not done baking. Allow cake to cool.

Icing: Melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat then add the brown sugar and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook the butter sugar liquid for 3 minutes while continually whisking. Add the none fat milk and bring the liquid back up to a boil on medium heat. Remove the pan from the burner and allow the carmel maple liquid to cool. Prepare your kitchen aid with the whisk attachment or use a electric hand mixer with a bowl. With the mixer on low, pour the carmel maple liquid into the bowl and begin to add the powder sugar slowly to the liquid. Beat the icing for 4 minutes until all the powder sugar is incorporated and smooth. Place the icing into the refrigerator for 30- 60 minutes until it thickens.

Assembling the Cake: Remove the two cakes from the pan with a knife or cake spatula. Place one cake on a plate then spread the two cups of boysenberry jam on top of the cake. Place the second cake on top of the boysenberry jam. Ice the two cakes with the carmel maple icing. Decorate the top of the cake with fresh whole blackberries.

Melting the Butter and Sugar for the Icing