I like cake. Who doesn’t? And this is the most delicious cake ever. I got this recipe from my great aunt, and it’s in the part of my homemade cookbook that is stained and covered with flour. Funny how it’s mostly the cookie and cake section that looks like that.
For Christmas, for birthdays, or for any other time of the year, a cake in a jar is the perfect gift. It’s an excellent gift for teachers and coaches, and it’s a good hostess gift if you’re tired of bringing flowers and wine. I’d even use a little jar of cake materials as a birthday party favor. What child wouldn’t like to go home with a jar full of cake to make?
This recipe is quite simple. For each jar, you will need:
- One extra large Mason jar with a wide-mouthed lid
- Fancy ribbon
- A recipe card
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 2 1/2 cups of white flour
- 1/2 cup of cocoa
- 1/4 cup buttermilk powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
If you want to add festive toppings, you can place sprinkles or bits of crushed candy cane in a piece of parchment paper and tie it up with a little ribbon. This can go into the top of the jar.
If you’d like, you can also provide a wrapped pat of 1 cup of butter and 5 eggs in a tiny basket. Otherwise, the recipient will need to add those.
To make the jar, use a funnel to pour in the following layers:
- 2 cups sugar on the bottom
- 1/2 cup cocoa in the middle, because contrast makes things pretty!
- 2 1/2 cups flour above the cocoa
- 1/4 cup of buttermilk powder and 1 tsp soda above the cocoa
- If you are adding sprinkles in a package, the package goes above everything else.
Put the lid on your jar and add a fancy piece of fabric and ribbon if you wish. Tape the recipe card on the side or tuck it under the ribbon, and you have a fabulous gift!
For the directions and printable suggestions, click over to page 2.
What a cool gift! I’ve always wanted to try those gift in a jar things. I have a recipe book full of them somewhere…. should make and send to my clients for Christmas!
Do you have any ideas for pretty containers I could use to mail them in? I’d be scared to mail a glass jar!
a local discount department store will surely have some nice plastic containers … this time of year they may even have some decorated with a holiday theme. i did soup in a jar and cookies in a jar last year for gifts and they went over very well … it was also a nice time for a friend and i to sit down and put them together … make a few extras for your cupboard … it’s always nice to reach up there and enjoy you labors! Happy Holidays!
You could always try a tall, thin Christmas cookie container, though I’d use packing tape around the edges to secure them just in case. Glass does relatively well in bubble wrap, although I haven’t tried mailing mason jars!
What size pan are you supposed to use with this recipe?
I use a longer pan that is just over a foot long and just under a foot wide. However, I like smaller, brownie-style cake slices. The one in the photo is a smaller square pan, so the pieces are deeper.