Oh Brown Betty, Bramble Jam by Baked On The Lake
The October air in Branson wraps around you like a soft flannel blanket, with crimson dogwoods and amber maples painting the Ozark hills. I wandered into Baked On The Lake, a gem of a bakery tucked along Table Rock Lake’s shimmering edge, its weathered wooden sign swaying gently in the autumn breeze.
The moment I stepped inside, the scent of warm apples and spiced brambleberry jam enveloped me, mingling with the faint woodsmoke drifting from nearby cabins. The bakery’s cozy interior; think checkered curtains, mason jar lights, and a crackling fireplace felt velvety cozy. I could smell the scent of this week’s special, sure to be a masterpiece like all the weeks before.
Thanks to a surprise aqcuisition of several large jars of Brazen Bounty’s special brambleberry jam, Baked On The Lake had their newest weekly special, aptly titled, “Oh Brown Betty, Bramble Jam” a fun take on a traditional Apple Brown Betty.
I watched the baker at work, her hands deftly weaving magic behind the counter. It starts with her buttery homemade pound cake mix. I suppose us regular folk would have to settle for the box kind. Then she layers in homemade apple pie filling, then swirl in a generous dollop of brambleberry jam. The combination of tangy berries bursting with a sweet-tart pop simply screams Ozark autumn.
As the new batch bakes, the front galley fills with a golden glow, the aroma weaving through the air like a melody, drawing smiles from locals sipping coffee at wooden tables. I couldn’t resist putting in an order to go.
I waited, settling on a lakeside bench. Across the water, Branson’s Strip twinkled faintly, its neon a distant hum against the quiet lapping of the lake waves. A cardinal darted through the russet trees, and the cool breeze carried the scent of pine and baked berries, grounding me in this perfect moment.
Dare I pull out my phone and ram a bit of Ram Jam into the calm stillness? Oh! My Oh Brown Betty, Bramble Jam order is ready.
Oh Brown Betty, Bramble Jam by Baked On The Lake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups apple pie filling (homemade or prepared), halved
- 1 cup brambleberry jam (homemade or prepared, can sub any flavor jam), halved
- 3½ cups pound cake mix (homemade or box, can sub vanilla cake), divided
- 1 stick butter, halved and sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp allspice
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Reserve ½ cup cake mix and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch square or pie pan.
- Pour 1½ cups of cake mix into the bottom of the greased pan
- Arrange ½ of the butter slices on top of the cake mix
- Spoon half of the pie filling over the butter and cake mix, do not combine
- Swirl half of the jam into the pie filling
- Pour 1½ cups of cake mix onto the jam and filling mixture, do not combine
- Arrange ½ of the butter slices on top of the cake mix
- Repeat the process with the 2nd half of the pie filling and jam
- To make the topping: combine remaining ½ cup cake mix with brown sugar, allspice, and cinnamon
- Sprinke on the topping and place in pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes
- Serve warm or cold, makes 4-6 servings
This blog post is based on the cozy mystery story “The Showcase Must Go On,” the first book in the Sammy Shepherd Series by Nikki Lachen of Cozy Ozarks.
