Jam-Filled Mini Butter Cakes

Introduction

Jam-Filled Mini Butter Cakes are classic butter cakes baked in small portions and filled with sweet fruit jam in the center. They’re rich but light, moist without being greasy, and incredibly easy to make with pantry ingredients. The jam adds a pop of flavor—strawberry, raspberry, apricot, or even mixed berry all work beautifully. These mini cakes look elegant, store well, and don’t even need frosting to shine.

Ingredients 

For the butter cake batter:

Unsalted butter – ½ cup (115 g), softened

Granulated sugar – ½ cup

Eggs – 2 (room temperature)

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

All-purpose flour – 1½ cups

Baking powder – 1½ tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

Milk – ¼ cup

For the filling:

Any thick jam (strawberry, raspberry, apricot, etc.) – ¼ to ⅓ cup

Optional topping:

Powdered sugar – for dusting

Instructions

Prepare the pan

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease a mini muffin pan or line with paper liners.

Cream butter & sugar

In a bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).

Add eggs & vanilla

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla essence.

Mix dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.

Combine batter

Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two parts, alternating with milk. Mix gently until smooth—do not overmix.

Fill the molds

Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each cavity. Add ½ teaspoon jam in the center, then cover with a little more batter until ¾ full.

Bake

Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake (not the jam) comes out clean.

Cool & finish

Let cakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Timing Summary

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 18–22 minutes

Cooling time: 10 minutes

Total time: 40–45 minutes

Tips for Best Results

Use thick jam so it doesn’t sink or leak.

Don’t overfill—jam expands while baking.

Room-temperature butter and eggs give the best texture.

For extra richness, replace milk with cream.

Variations

Lemon Jam Cakes: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to batter.

Chocolate Center: Replace jam with chocolate spread.

Almond Style: Add ½ tsp almond extract.

Final Thoughts

These Jam-Filled Mini Butter Cakes are small, simple, and seriously satisfying. They look fancy, taste like a dream, and are perfect for gifting or serving with tea. One batch is never enough—they disappear fast