The New Star - Cake in a Jar!!

Cakes have always been the yummiest of all. It’s a dessert that is loved, relished and has a special space in every occasion. We have seen cakes in many different sizes, shapes, flavors, designs and combinations. Now what’s the Cake in a Jar? Cakes are most often packed in board boxes and delivered to us. Then how different is a cake in a jar? Are these just a cake packed in a jar? Baking cakes in different ways has always been up for experimentation by bakers through decades. The experiments have brought in a range of cakes and pastries with crazily different combination of flavors. One such experimental result is the Cake in a jar. The cake in a jar tastes just like other cakes but are baked in small glass jars to ensure that the cakes last longer. Not just the taste, it adds up to the ease of storage, has a better shelf life & visual appeal too! Cake in a jar is made by baking cakes in small glass jars and packing them up safely to ensure that the freshness of the cakes is kept locked. These cakes, if prepared properly, can last for several months at room temperature. Refrigerating them extends the duration further. The very first thing needed to prepare a cake in a jar is of course, a jar! As every task has its set of rules, same goes for this as well. These cakes are usually prepared in small glass jars or mason jars. The jar used must be wide mouth and pint sized so that the baking is uniform. The glass jars used must be free of dirt and fine chips on its surface and on the inside. They should be sterilized in boiling water to ensure proper cleaning. The lids used to seal these cakes must also be boiled to ensure a zero-bacteria package. Once the jars are ready for baking, the desired cake's batter is poured into the jars till the jar is half full. They are then placed into the oven in a water bath. The water bath ensures uniform baking along the bottom of the jar & the sides. Once the preparation time is reached, check if the cakes are done by pricking a long toothpick into them. Cake in a jar is usually kept at a high temperature even after baking to ensure any germs present in the ingredients of the cake will be killed. When the jar is slightly warm, clean its sides with a cloth and securely seal the jars with their lids. The steam which gets locked into the jars keeps the cake soft and fresh even after a month of baking. Now we know what the cake in a jar is. You must be curious enough to learn how to prepare this tasty dessert at home. Let’s rest this curiosity for the time you start baking them as here is a short recipe for making these yummy cakes. Let’s start our little experimentation of the cake in a jar with the top preference of many - the all time favorite chocolate cake in a jar Ingredients 2 cups All purpose flour (If using 2 cups of regular flour you would need 1 tsp of baking powder & a quarter tsp of baking soda) 1 cup Bars of bitter sweet cooking chocolate 4 Large eggs 4 tbsps Unsalted Butter 1 cup Sugar Powdered sugar for dusting once the cakes are done Few drops of Oil for greasing the jars. Fresh Raspberries for garnish Procedure Choose good enough jars for your cakes and sterilize them in boiling water for few minutes. Wipe the jars dry and keep aside. Also boil the lids to disinfect Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit Make up a double boiler by placing a large glass bowl over a pot of boiling water. Add the chocolate into the glass bowl on top and let it melt. Add the butter into it and mix until the mixture is smooth. Once it melts, remove from the flame and let it cool down a bit Sift the flour so that no lumps are visible. (If using regular flour, add the baking powder & soda at this stage) Separate out the egg whites and beat them well until stiff peaks form Add the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl. Beat them together in a mixer until it becomes fluffy and creamy Add ¼ cup of melted chocolate and butter mixture into the egg yolks. Mix the chocolate into the egg yolks well. Giving a good stir, continue pouring the melted chocolate into the mixture Add the flour mixture into the egg & mix thoroughly Add the beaten egg white mixture into the above prepared mixture and fold in gently Pour in 4 to 5 table spoons of the cake batter into each jar such that the jar is just half full (you need to remember that the cake is going to rise) and place the jars a bit apart onto a baking tray containing water - that's your water bath Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a nice crust is formed on its top. Check if the cakes are done by pricking a toothpick into them. Once done, remove the jars from the oven and scoop or carve out the top layer if the cake has risen too much. Dust them with powdered sugar or icing sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries and Voila! your Chocolate Cake in a Jar is ready. Either choose to feast on the cake in a jar yourself when it cools down a bit or have it tightly packed to be sent as a gift to your loved one. The cake will definitely be a marvel for the one who tastes it. We are sure this recipe would successfully add itself to your list of favorite desserts. If you are not the kind that is into baking, nevertheless find the cake in a jar intriguing - do try out the cake in a jar options on offer from WarmOven. Below are a few of the cakes that are on our menu. However if you have a certain flavor in mind, WarmOven will be delighted to prepare it for you...yes...in a jar!!