What's up with Whatsit

Jam cake

Here's the recipe for Jam Cake in case y'all are interested. I've never seen anybody but my own family make it - I'd be interested to know if anybody else is familiar with it. It was passed down in my family from my great-grandmother, Hilda Coker, from Clarke County, MS.

Bigmama's Jam Cake

2 cups sugar
2 cups blackberry jam
1 cup canola oil or shortening Originally shortening, but my mother started using canola oil because it's healthier, and it's just as good. Either one is fine. Not both!
2 tsp cinammon
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp allspice Cloves and allspice are fairly expensive. We go ahead and invest, though, because we know we will make this cake every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and these spices will keep from year to year. They are VERY important to the recipe and can't be left out.
6 eggs
2 tsp soda dissolved in 1/2 cup buttermilk I never have known why it is important to dissolve the soda in the buttermilk, but I always do it anyway. I'm sure it's important for SOME reason.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream canola oil/shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients alternating with butternilk. I NEVER do this - I dump the buttermilk then the dry ingredients. I'm sure my great-grandmother will have something to say to me about this when she sees me after I get to Heaven. Add the jam last. Bake at 325 degrees in a tube/Bundt pan. I bake for about 50 minutes - depends on the stove. Keep checking to see if it looks done, when it pulls away from the side a couple of molecules.