Blackberry Summer Cake!


Since there are so many summer birthdays in my friends circle, I thought it would be fun to make a cake for this Fridays Science of Yum! Thanks to all those b-days, I've perfected a really quick and easy cake recipe: blackberry summer cake.

Simply take any of your favorite chocolate cake box mixes (this usually requires three eggs, some water, and some vegetable oil in addition)

A couple boxes of Jiffy white cake frosting

A jar of blackberry preserves, preferably whole fruit or sugar free.

Make the cake up in two round cake pans, as directed by the box.
Once the cakes have cooled, place the first layer on a serving plate and frost. Add a thin layer of blackberry preserves for the middle. Plop the second layer on, frost, and add more preserves on top. Let chill in refrigerator for at least a couple hours. It tastes so good!

One of the things that makes this cake possible is the old process of canning. Canning, made popular in the early 1800's, is a simple yet genius way of preventing bacterial contamination and preserving foods. The food stuff, blackberries in our case, are boiled in the can or jar to kill off all the bacteria. Next the jar is sealed air tight, to disable entry of any new pathogens. This seal can be a bit of a trick at times, if you're not exactly the most muscular person (like myself!). A good way to relieve some of the pressure and allow for easier opening of the jars is by smacking the edges of the lid from the top with a spoon.