With the cushion cake with jam you will be amazed at the first bite. It is a cake that, besides being very beautiful and scenic, is of an exceptional deliciousness and softness.
Moreover, it is also a very quick and very simple cake to prepare!
The softness and light color of this cushion cake with jam is given by an ingredient that I LOVE in general and LOVE to include in breakfast cake recipes, and that is fresh liquid cream.
This will not be an addition to the classic fats like butter or seed oil that you find more traditionally in various recipes, but will be used as a replacement for them.
The only thing to keep in mind when making this cake, especially the ‘diamonds’ you see in the photo, is to use a cold jam (or marmalade) from the fridge.
Follow me, you will find the RECIPE explained in detail and also the complete VIDEO!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: servings for a 9×13 inch pan
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for making the CUSHION CAKE WITH JAM
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup fresh liquid cream (cold from the fridge)
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup apricot jam (or your preferred one)
- 2 tsp baking powder (preferably vanilla-flavored)
- as needed powdered sugar (to decorate the surface)
Tools for making the CUSHION CAKE WITH JAM
- Electric beaters
- Baking pan rectangular 9×13 inch
- Piping bag
Steps for the CUSHION CAKE WITH JAM
In a bowl, pour the fresh liquid cream just taken from the refrigerator and start the electric beaters at medium-high power. Whip for a few minutes until the cream has a semi-whipped consistency. Set aside for a moment.
Don’t worry too much about the consistency of the cream; even if it is more whipped than you see in the video, or a bit more liquid, it will not affect the success of the recipe!
In another large bowl, crack the eggs, pour in the sugar and start the electric beaters again at medium-high power. Whip for about half a minute, just the time to get a homogeneous and slightly frothy mixture.
At this point, add the semi-whipped cream that you had set aside, mix with the electric beaters for a few seconds until you get a uniform color mixture, then start adding the flour, a little at a time.
Once all the flour is incorporated, add the sifted baking powder and mix it well.
Now you just have to pour the mixture into your 9×13 inch rectangular baking pan lined with parchment paper (important for being able to remove the cake from the pan without breaking it).
Level it well and bake for about 7 minutes in a preheated static oven at 350°F, then take the cake out of the oven, which will not be fully cooked yet but will have a consistency suitable for preventing the jam you will now add from sinking too much during baking.
With a piping bag with the tip cut to create a hole about a centimeter in diameter, distribute the apricot jam (or your preferred one) in a diamond pattern.
Please note, it is crucial that the jam is cold from the fridge; this is a little trick to ensure that the jam maintains the shape you gave it during baking, without melting and spreading over your entire cake.
Bake again and continue baking for another 18-20 minutes. Do the toothpick test before taking it out of the oven, and if the surface of your cake begins to darken too much during baking, cover it with aluminum foil for the last few minutes.
Let it cool completely, then gently remove the cake from the pan, sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar, and…taste it!
The CUSHION CAKE WITH JAM is of a truly unique softness, believe me!
Tips and Storage
As I already mentioned, if you want to achieve a result that is also beautiful to look at (in a ‘diamond‘ pattern as in the photo) as well as delicious, you must use a cold jam from the fridge, otherwise, as soon as it comes into contact with the oven’s heat, it will become very liquid and tend to spread over the entire surface of your cake.
If you’re wondering how to sprinkle powdered sugar only where there is no jam, don’t worry, no tricks: once you sprinkle the sugar uniformly over the entire surface of your cushion cake, the jam will quickly absorb the sugar, which the cake will not do, creating the beautiful effect you see in the photo.
The cushion cake with jam keeps for two or three days in a cool, dry place covered with aluminum foil.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How can I replace the apricot jam?
You can replace the apricot jam with any other jam or marmalade; or even with custard cream.
Can I substitute the jam with hazelnut spread?
Definitely yes, but I recommend trying covering the surface of the cake with aluminum foil from the first minutes of baking, otherwise it will tend to dry out a bit.
How do I recreate the ‘diamond’ effect visible in the photo?
Very simple: just sprinkle plenty of powdered sugar uniformly over the entire surface of the cushion cake; after a few minutes, the jam will completely absorb the powdered sugar, creating the final effect you see. It’s important to sprinkle the sugar when the cake is already completely cooled.
