Hi-- I'm doing a cake with a thin raspberry and whipped cream filling. I've always heard people mention using raspberry preserves that have been heated for the thin glaze.

I looked in the store and its only the jam that comes seedless. Does that mean that people using preserves keep the seeds in?? Or do they have to be strained out with cheesecloth (ugggh!) Or maybe jam works just as well?

Any help would be appreciated!!!! Thanks!![/img]

I'm not sure which you would need to use, but I don't think I'd like to crunch on seeds in the middle of the cake. I think if I bought the preserves with the seeds, I'd have to strain them out. That's just my opinion. I don't know why you couldn't use the jam, but I've never used anything like that in any of my cakes. I always use the sleeves of stuff I get from the cake decorating stores.

My question is: if you use the jam from the store then how do you get the seeds out? I have used the regular jam and was surprised when I read on this board that the preference is for seedless jams. Please let us know how to get the seeds out of our jams (I have not found seedless jams except for grape). Thanks!

We, most of us, use the SEEDLESS jams. Polander brand is a good tasting SEEDLESS raspberry jam.

If you can't find seedless raspberry jam, then you definitely have to warm the jam you do buy to make it a bit easier to strain out the seeds.
I would rather check out a few markets and buy the seedless than go through all the work of straining.

Good luck!!!

I used some raspberry preserves once, just for an 'at-home' cake, trying out flavor combos. I didn't realize the seeds were still in it...lol. It was not fun eating it, kept feeling like I was crunching on sand, even though I realized eventually it was just the seeds. I didn't think a customer would like that effect, so when I got an order for a cake with raspberry filling, I went to buy the seedless stuff and couldn't find any... I just bought the same preserves I'd purchased before, heated it in a small pan on the stove until it was thinned some and then just used a fine metal mesh sieve. I did have to sort of push it through, gently, with my rubber spatula, but it turned out beautifully and was not that much work, really. I put it in the fridge to firm back up before I used it, though...it wasn't being mixed with BC or anything...just a layer of the preserves, then a layer of thick whipped cream on top. It worked great.

Thanks everybody for your input. I will definitely either use the seedless jam or strain the preserves. I guess crunchy filling isn't the effect I'm going for! :O)

I buy with the seeds not to save a buck but rather it adds another dimension of texture to the cake. It goes very well with it.