Getting Ready

Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºF)

Making

Cream filling Method:

In a saucepan, whisk together milk and flour while cooking over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. 

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. 

Transfer to a small bowl; cover and allow to cool to room temperature. 

With a mixer cream butter, sugar and salt until well-combined. 

Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until smooth.

Cake Method:

Heat milk, sugar, butter, and salt In a saucepan, just until warm (120ºF). 

In a bowl, stir together flour and yeast.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Then add eggs and vanilla. Cream together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on high speed for 3 minutes. 

With beater on low, mix in remaining flour (dough will be very soft and sticky). 

Cover dough and chill for 2 to 24 hours.

Butter a 9"x2" heart-shaped cake pan. Transfer dough to pan and smooth to an even layer. 

Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until double in size. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and turn top-side up. 

Cool completely on wire rack. 

Serving

Slice cake in half horizontally; remove top. 

Place bottom layer, cut-side up, on a serving plate. 

Spread cream filling and then the jam to edges. Place top layer of cake on filling, cut-side down.

Dust cake with powdered sugar; drizzle with jam.