Jam in butterfly cakes? Homemade or shop bought?

[Worriedaandconfused]

It's my son's nursery graduation party next weekend and the parents have been asked to provide food and drinks. I've put my name down for 'buns' (cakes). I plan to make the classic butterfly cakes as these are sure to be a crowd pleaser amongst a group of 4 year olds, right?

Growing up, the ones I always had were just buttercream and no jam. All the recipes I've seen online include jam? Is it necessary? I don't want to go through the effort of making jam so will any old shop-bought jam do?

Most I've seen don't include jam but of course it's fine! You're feeding a bunch of 4 year olds not entering the British Bakeoff!

I don't think it really matters, I'd just do them with buttercream personally.

Not necessary but I like a bit of strawberry jam in there! Absolutely you can use shop bought though, no need to make your own. I'd just check for any allergies first and you'll be good to go.

I’ve only ever had them with buttercream, but whatever you stick the “wings” in won’t matter. It will all be nice.

If you do a bit of jam as well just use shop bought jam. Sounds lovely OP.

I would have thought buttercream was the go to glue for butterfly cakes, with the added bonus that you can sprinkle hundreds and thousands on it to make the cakes look pretty, if you did that with jam they would melt into a mess.

Personally I love jam in them but my jam hating DD would be less than thrilled.

Thank you everyone, no jam it is! 👍🏻😊

Buttercream is fine. I’ve never heard of them with jam.

However what had always gone down very well at Gdcs’ parties from about age 3, is chocolate fairy cakes (not the bigger cup cakes) with chocolate buttercream* and a Smartie on top.
V easy, too.
*just enough to cover the top, not a massive dollop.

The proper traditional ones are just buttercream. Why tinker with something that's perfect already?

In my day it was dream topping!

Love a butterfly cake. No jam.

ooh they're perfect with a little blob of jam in the centre before you put the buttercream on top! lemon curd works beautifully too, or even nutella... feeling the need to do some baking this afternoon now!!

Thank you for the recommendation - I'll have to remember this if when I get roped into the next event.