Cakes in a Jar and The Greatest Carrot Cake...Amaze your Friends and Family!

I originally posted Bake It! Can It! Jar It! last year,

but this is and always has been one of my favorite ideas...

so here it is again...and with a new recipe.

About 15 or so years ago when I was  a single gal...who didn't cook - I mean, I occasionally baked chocolate chip cookies, stirred up some Rice Krispie treats, and threw together 7-layer cookies (the easiest, yummiest thing on the planet) - my mom bought me this book called Cake in a Jar. Great! Yipppeee!...What am I supposed to do with this? I kept it anyway...and now it is one of my "go-to" holiday staples!

So, now, the invitations for informal little get-togethers have started to pour in, thoughts of gifts for neighbors and teachers are dancing in my head, and well, these cakes in a jar make a great gift. The best part is you can make them ahead of time, and store them (they last for months). They will be ready and waiting for me when I need them.

 BASIC CAKE IN A JAR 

Here's what ya need:

1. Wide mouth pint-size canning jars (you can use 1/2 pint and larger...it just takes experimenting with the amount of batter and length of baking time) and lids. I just bought some platinum lids and they really make the jars look fantastic...of course, if you buy the box of jars, the standard lids are included.
2. Cake mix and/or recipe. I swear by the Cake in a Jar book that is sold through Cookbook Cupboard. It is the only recipe source I have used for these cakes and the instructions are super easy...and the book is only $3.95! I will not be sharing the recipe here, because I do not want to get sued. I used the Vanilla Rum Cake recipe for this batch! The Kahlua Cake is to-die-for! You can use pretty much any recipe, just watch the cooking time.
3. The ingredients to complete the cake mix (eggs, oil, water, etc.) or the ingredients for the recipe...duh!
4. Stock pot for sterilizing jars
5. Cookie sheet (to bake them on)
6. Skewer to check for doneness

Here's how to do it:

• Preheat oven to 325
• Sterilize jars while you mix up the cake batter

sterilizing jars

• Remove jars and let dry, then grease with butter, shortening, etc.
• Place 1 cup of batter into each pint jar

batter in the jar

(these photos are all of the vanilla rum cake)

• Wipe rims clean
• Place on a cookie sheet and put the jars into the oven
• Sterilize your lids while your cakes are baking
• Bake for about 45 minutes (you need to watch it around 35 minutes, based on how your oven cooks and which recipe you use)

• Remove cakes from oven, dry lids, and place lids on cakes
• You will start hearing them pop and seal

Voila!
You can canned a cake....
trust me people will be amazed!

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NOW FOR THE CARROT CAKE RECIPE!

I used a super yummy carrot cake recipe this year, and here it is...I am not sure of its original source. My daughter's preschool teacher passed this along from her late father who made this all the time.

The Greatest Carrot Cake

• 2 cups flour, sifted
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 8oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• optional: 8 oz shredded coconut
• optional: 1 cup golden raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift flour and baking soda.
2. Beat eggs and mix with oil.
3. Beat in sugar and dry ingredients.
4. Add vanilla and cinnamon.
5. Fold in undrained pineapple, carrots, and nuts.
6. Grease and flour pan OR grease JARS
7. Bake at 350F degrees for 50-60 minutes in 9 x 13 pan or for about 35 minutes at 350F in a JAR! Refrigeration recommended for a regular cake.

FROSTING - NOT FOR USE ON JARRED/CANNED CAKE:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1/2 to 1 cup (for taste) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip ingredients until creamy!

Happy Baking!