Chocolate Jam Cake is a great way to use up jam that you might have and not like… like I did here! Plus, this is a one-bowl recipe!
Jump to RecipeChocolate Jam Cake may sound very strange to people who haven’t imagined these two flavours together; but trust me here, it totally works! There’s a story behind this cake that involves my lack of interest in a new blackcurrant jam that I had purchased from the local supermarket. It was less than nice on bread; totally did not go with my butter. Butter and jam on bread is my idea of a perfect tea-time treat, so you can imagine my disappointment.
But then I thought, why not bake this into a cake? Chocolate and cherry or berry or currants go together extremely well. If you have chocolate ice-cream at home, try adding some fresh chopped cherries into the bowl – you’re welcome.
The Jam
I have used blackcurrant conserve here because that’s what I had on hand. And the proportion that I had left was perfect, too! You can make this cake with any jam that you have, of course. You can even try this with marmalade, if you’d like to make a rich orange-chocolate cake! However, I would recommend using a berry flavoured jam for this particular recipe – the chocolate and jam just works wonders!
The sugar content of this cake may seem low, but this is because the jam has plenty of sugar anyway. You can choose to reduce the sugar if you like, but bear in mind that this will impact the moistness of your cake. And however much you think you’d like to reduce the sugar, do not even think about omitting the sugar from this recipe. You could try using a sugar-free jam, though!
One-Bowl Method
This is a super simple recipe, meaning the entire cake can be done using just one bowl. You’ll have to melt the butter, which will then help to melt the chocolate chunks. At this point, you have to remove the pan from the heat and let the chocolate mixture cool just for a bit. Then, it’s a matter of adding each ingredient to the pot, then transferring the batter to the cake tin.
Thinking of making a one-bowl chocolate cake without the jam? Here’s an easy recipe!
Chocolate Jam Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: WesternDifficulty: Easy1
8-inch Cake15
minutes45
minutesChocolate Jam Cake is a great way to use up jam that you might have and not like… like I did here! Plus, this is a one-bowl recipe!
You’ll need;
125g Butter, unsalted
100g Dark Chocolate Buttons (I’ve used 55% Cocoa Solids)
280g Blackcurrant Conserve
150g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs, beaten
150g Self-Raising Flour
You’ll need to;
Start by melting the butter over low heat in a heavy-based saucepan, preferably a large one. As the butter begins to melt completely with only a few yellow nuggets of fat left floating around, remove the pan from heat and drop in the chocolate buttons. Leave to sit for 1 min, then use a whisk to get things moving. Once the chocolate is fully melted, leave to cool slightly.
While the chocolate butter cools, prepare an 8-inch cake tin. You don’t have to use a loose-bottomed or spring form one; I used a regular cake tin. Ensure to grease the tin properly, then line the base with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees Celsius.
Back to the cake mixture; add the sugar, then the conserve. Using the same whisk, stir the batter to incorporate the jam into the chocolate. This will take a moment; have faith, it will come together. Then, add the beaten eggs. Again, stir to mix until only the merest hint of yellow trails the chocolate. Finally, add the flour in two batches. Don’t worry about folding it in, just stir it into the batter.
Transfer the batter into the waiting cake tin, and give it a sharp tap on the counter to release air bubbles. This will be a thick and gooey batter. Then, place the tin in the oven to bake for up to 45 minutes. If you find that the top is getting too dark by the 30 min mark, open the oven door slightly and slip a layer of foil on top of the cake tin. This will help the cake cook without the top charring.
Remove cake from the oven when a wooden or metal skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the centre of the cake. If you find some crumbs sticking to the skewer, this is literally what we want.
Then, allow the cake to cool for at least 10 to 20 minutes, though I must admit this is a huge ask. You can serve this warm with Creme Fraiche, and of course, a huge pot of coffee (or tea!).
Notes
- Feel free to use any jam that you might have at home, though a berry or currant jam goes great with chocolate!
- You can substitute the melted butter for oil if you prefer, though that would mean you have to melt the chocolate separately instead of over the stove.