Very Berry Cake

In a pinch for a last-minute birthday celebration tomorrow,  I rummaged through the pantry and found the bare bones for a berry cake of sorts: a half package of grape gelatin, half package of strawberry gelatin, and an unopened tub of tart raspberry jam. Using a desperate-measures cake flavoring technique (adding flavored gelatin!) I baked up what smelled like strawberry heaven on earth. As the cake did it’s time in the horno, I was sweating it out with Jillian Michaels (unfortunately, the online Jillian) and the temptation of the wafting scent of that strawberry bomb of a cake made me jump my jacks right over to the oven to get a peek at what beautiful cake was rising up in my kitchen. That’s totally true. If my neighbors had passed by as I debuted my traveling jacks, I’m sure they’d have sent me to the nut house.

The highly flavorful cake is a great base for a simple frosting, so I slathered on a coating of my favorite flour-based frosting and smoothed on a coat of black raspberry jam in between the two layers of berry cake. The cake has grape gelatin, true, but the overwhelming flavor ended up being strawberry. Pink color, fresa flavored. Of course, feel free to use this approach with any other flavors of Jell-O. It’s only the technique I wish to pass on to you.

Very Berry Cake
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1- 3oz. package flavored gelatin (Ideally. I used about 2T. each grape and strawberry gelatin)
1 c. butter
4 eggs
1 c. milk, divided
1 t. vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Butter and flour one 9×13″ baking pan.
3. In a measuring cup, mix together eggs, 1/4 c. milk, gelatin, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
5. Add butter and 3/4 c. milk to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes.
6. In 3 additions, beat in the liquid ingredients. Do not overbeat.
7. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted removes cleanly, approximately 40 minutes.
8. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, and then turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, begin frosting preparation.

Frosting recipe  Add 2 t. lemon extract (or juice) for a tangy twist that tastes great with berry cake.

Construction

1. Cut cake in half lengthwise. Place half of the cake on it’s final resting place cake board.
2. Smooth a layer of raspberry jam (warmed, to soften if necesary) onto the bottom layer. Top with frosting. 
3. Align top layer over  bottom cake layer and crumb coat all edges. Place in refrigerator 15 minutes, and then continue to frost cake as desired.