How do you make cake with jam instead of sugar?

Answer 1

Most jams are about 50% sugar by volume.

I suggest that you simply replace the sugar the recipe calls for with jam, by equal volume or weight. The fruit in jam is usually sweet as well and if you doubled the volume of jam (to get the same sugar content the recipe calls for) you would throw out the ratio of sugar to other ingredients.

Beat or whisk together the eggs and jam. Whisk in the butter (melted or softened - or use oil instead). If there are other liquid ingredients like milk then beat them in but hold a little back as the jam will make the mixture more runny than plain sugar would.

Then add the sifted dry ingredients, stirring to incorporate. If you think the mixture is too stiff then add more of the wet ingredients or add additional milk, tablespoon by tablespoon. If the mixture is too runny then add additional flour.

The mixture should have a consistency that will cause it to slide from the mixing spoon in a lump if you scoop up a spoonful and tilt it over the bowl.

Bake as usual. If you think the cake tastes too bland you can rectify that by coating it with a sweet icing or by filling it with whipped cream into which you have mixed more of the jam. The next time you bake it increase the jam content.

If I have excess jam - or jam that has failed to set properly - I use it to make chutneys and relishes in the place of sugar, substituting cup for cup. Since chutneys usually have fruit in them it only improves the result.