Layer Fruit Cake

Source: River Road Recipes, The Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine Cookbook

1 cup nuts
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups coconut
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup blackberry jam
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon allspice

Run nuts (preferably pecans), raisins, and coconut through food chopper. Cream sugar and butter well. Add eggs and milk in which soda has been dissolved. Add jam, spice, and flour. Mix thoroughly. Add nuts, raisins, and coconut. Bake in layer cake pans at 350 degrees F for 30 - 35 minutes.

Put together with the following filling.

Filling:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups milk

Boil until thick, about 7 minutes. Put between layers and over cake.

This cake may be baked 30 days before serving.