Jam Filled Coffee Cake

Homemade blueberry jam and a tender coffee cake makes for the perfect breakfast treat! Making jam and a coffee cake might seem a little off-putting but the jam is so easy to make and really turns a regular coffee cake into something special.  The jam is only 3 ingredients and it cooks on the stove while the cake is prepared.  Yes it’s that easy!

Working as a baker I have made jam hundreds of times but I have never totally understood the difference between jams, jellies, marmalades, compotes and preserves.  Sometimes I used the terms interchangeably; but after doing some research I finally know the difference! Most often I make jam.  Jam is made from fruits, sugar and sometimes pectin and it has some fruit bits in it.  Jelly is made with fruit juice and has little if any fruit bits.  It also uses pectin to set it.  Marmalades are made specifically from citrus fruits (like oranges or lemons) and sugar.  Compotes are more runny and are eaten mostly with desserts. They also tend to have spices added.  Preserves are just chunkier jams.

The history of jam dates back to Rome in the first century. Jam was a way of preserving fruit through the winter so people had access to fruits all year long.  Marmalades were very important in the 16th century as a way for sailors to eat vitamin C to help fend off scurvy during month long voyages.

For this jam filled coffee cake feel free to use different fruit in the jam!  I used blueberry but strawberry, cherry, raspberry or a mixed fruit jam would also be delicious.  Heck you could even make a marmalade now that you know what it is!

 

Jam Filled Coffee Cake

Blueberry Jam

• 1 cup / 240 grams blueberries (frozen or fresh)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons / 80 grams sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer.                                             
2. Make coffee cake batter while jam is cooking.
3. Stir occasionally and cook until the liquid is thick and bubbling.  Set aside.

Coffee Cake

• 2 cups / 240 grams flour
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon / 80 grams sugar
• 1/4 cup / 50 grams brown sugar
• 1/3 cup / 145 grams unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup / 160 grams buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or by hand) combine flour, sugars and butter. Mix until butter is pea sized.                                                                                                                     
3. Add baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.  Mix until evenly dispersed.
4. Add buttermilk, vanilla and egg.  Mix by hand with spatula.                               
5. Reserve a 1/2 cup of batter, pour the rest into the loaf pan.  Add jam keeping away from the sides.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
6. Spoon the remaining batter over the jam and cover it completely (be gentle you don’t want to mix the batter with the jam you just want to cover it).                  
7. Bake for 40-50 minutes and cover with powdered sugar if desired!