Try pouring half a cup of rum or brandy over this and serving it like a fruitcake.
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs, separated
2 cups blackberry jam
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons each ground cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, then jam. Sift together flour and spices. Stir baking soda into buttermilk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to creamed mixture. Stir in dates and walnuts. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cake. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Pour batter into pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes, cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert on rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.