Precious Stars

 CAKE IN A JAR

This makes a great gift for friends and neighbors. Also great for Christmas Bazaar item. Decorate with pretty label and a circle of Christmas fabric under the jar ring. Using the same basic recipe you can substitute different fruits and vegetables to make other varieties. Prep Time: approx.

10 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 45 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 1 Hour 5 Minutes. Makes 8 (1 pint) jars (24 servings).

2/3 cup shortening

2 2/3 cups white sugar

4 eggs

2 cups mashed bananas

2/3 cup water

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease insides of 8 (1 pint) straight sided, wide mouth canning jars.

2 In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, bananas, and water. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Add to banana mixture. Stir in nuts.

3 Pour mixture into greased WIDE MOUTH pint jars, filling 1/2 full of batter. Do NOT put lids on jars for baking. Be careful to keep the rims clean, wiping off any batter that gets on the rims.

4 Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, sterilize the lids and rings in boiling water.

5 As soon as cake is done, remove from oven one at a time, wipe rims of jars and put on lid and ring. Jars will seal as cakes cool. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.

6 Unsealed jars should be eaten or kept in refrigerator for up to a week. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 6 weeks.

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Apple Cake in a Jar

Apple cake that is sealed in jars and can be given as gifts, or stored for emergencies. Makes 8 pint jars (16 servings).

2/3 cup shortening

2 2/3 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup water

3 cups grated apple

2/3 cup raisins

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease the insides of 8 straight-sided wide-mouth pint canning jars. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.

2 Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat in well. Add flour alternately with water and mix until smooth. Fold in apples, raisins and nuts.

3 Fill jars 1/2 full of batter, being careful to keep the rims clean. Wipe off any batter that gets on the rims. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, sterilize the lids and rings in boiling water.

4 As soon as cake is done, remove from oven one at a time, wipe rims of jars and put on lid and ring. Jars will seal as cakes cool. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.

5 Unsealed jars should be eaten or kept in refrigerator for up to a week. Sealed jars can be stored with other canned food for up to a year.

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CARAMEL NUT CAKE IN A JAR

2 cups packed Brown Sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

1-cup butter softened

4 eggs

2/3 cups milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts

Sterilize 6 (1-pint) straight sided wide mouth canning jars, lids & rings by boiling for 10 mins. Keep lids & rings in hot water until needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dry jars and let the come to room temperature. Grease inside of jars well.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together sugars, butter with electric mixer. Add eggs and mix well. Add milk & vanilla and mix well.

Add flour mixture and blend with a large spoon. Gently fold in walnuts.

Place one-cup batter in to each 1 pint greased canning jar. Wipe any batter from rim. Place jars on baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Make sure jar rims are clean (If they are not, jars will not seal properly) While jars are still hot, place lids on jars and screw rings on tightly. Jars will seal as they cool. Place the jars on the counter and listen for the "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping" wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lids. If it doesn't move at all, then it's sealed.

Keep in refrigerator for prolong storage.

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Applesauce Cake In A Jar

2/3 cup shortening

2 2/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

3 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsps baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups applesauce

2/3 cups nuts (walnuts or pecans)

9 pint wide mouth jars with rings and seals

Mix all ingredients and pour into well greased sterilized pint wide mouth jars. Fill half full and bake 35-40 minutes at 325 degrees or until done. I put my jars on a baking sheet to put them in the oven. When done remove the jars one at a time, place the seal (flat) and ring on the jar and tighten the ring. The lids will seal as the dake cools. You will be able to hear the ping of the seal and can make sure it is sealed by pressing on the center of the lid after the cakes have cooled. Test the lids to make sure they seal before storing in the cupboard. If they do not seal eat the cake right away, otherwise they can be stored indefinitely in the cupboard.

Good luck and enjoy and hope your Marines enjoy too. These also make great last minute Christmas gifts

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Amaretto or Rum Cakes in a Jar:

1 pkg white cake mix

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup amaretto or rum

Put cake mix and pudding powder together and stir till blended. Add the eggs, oil, water, and amaretto. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Divide batter into 4 1quart wide mouth mason jars that are sprayed well with Pam. Wipe any batter from the rims and place on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 for approx. 45 minutes. When cakes are almost done, make the glaze.

Soaking glaze:

1 cup pwd. sugar

1/2 cup amaretto/rum

1 stick butter

Place all in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil for 3 minutes. Poke holes in cake and spoon mixture over each. Wipe rims of jars with a warm wet cloth and seal with lids while jars are still very hot.

Just a few added tips: These cakes will rise to the top of the jar when baked. I use a bamboo skewers to poke the holes in the cakes when they come out of the oven. Put the lids on tight and the expansion from the heat inside the jar makes the lids puff slightly, then as they cool the lids seal down and make "pinging" noises. This is like the canning process which makes these cakes edible for up to 6 months.

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Chocolate Cake in a Jar

Stored in canning jars, these should last up to a year.

Makes 2 wide mouth (pint) canning jars (2 servings).

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons unsweetened

cocoa powder

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1 Sterilize 2 (1 pint) straight sided wide mouth canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water until needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)

2 In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.

3 In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into a large bowl.

4 Stir in Flour mixture and blend. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla and beat by hand until smooth. Stir in nuts.

5 Distribute evenly into the 2 prepared canning jars. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted deep into center of cake comes out clean.

6 Using heavy oven mitts, remove cakes from oven one at a time. Place a lid, then a ring onto the jars and screw them down tightly. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.

7 Store cakes in a cool dark place. They should last for up to a year.