Preheat over at 350 degrees for 30 minutes prior to baking.

Prepare large bunt pan by greasing and flouring, or by spraying with Pam Baking Spray (recommended).

Cream together butter and sugar in a mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating one minute after each addition of an egg.

Stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Mix together buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.

With mixer running very slowly, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix just until blended, then add ½ of the buttermilk mixture, then 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then the final ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Finish mixing with the addition of the final 1/3 of the flour mixture.

Spoon half the batter into the prepared bunt pan. Make a well in the center of the pan with the back of a spoon, and drizzle in 1/3 cup of Raspberry Jam.

Spoon remaining batter in the bunt pan, make another well in the top of the pan and add the remaining 1/3 cup of Raspberry Jam.

Using a butter knife and/or chopsticks, make a swirling pattern in the jam, making sure sure you reach down to connect your knife with the first layer of jam in the pan.

Spoon batter into prepared pans (see note) and bake for about one hour to one and one-half hours, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan until nearly completely cool before turning out onto a serving platter.

COOKS NOTES:

This is a big recipe! You can bake it in two or three buttered and floured loaf pans (if you bake in two pans, bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half). If you use three pans, it will be closer to one hour. You can also bake this in two bunt pans or angel food cake pans. This cake freezes beautifully, and is wonderful to have on hand for an emergency dessert.

If you don’t want to bake two separate cakes, just cut the recipe in half and make one.

If you have an ‘oops’ moment and part of your cake stays in the pan and does not release – don’t panic!! Just try to piece it together as best as you can and use a strainer to sift powdered sugar over the finished cake. It will be your little secret there was an oops.