I have a few more recipes but no time to upload them
right now, I'll do that later on this evening. BTW,
ANY cake can be baked in canning jars. I usually try
one jar first--you have to know how much volume each
recipe will give you. I usually fill ONE jar 1/2 full
then bake it to see how high it rises. You don't want
the cake to come out of the top of the jar, only to
within 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the lip of the jar. Once
you've established how high the cake rises, you can go
from there. The first time around is a bit tricky
because you won't know how many jars you'll need. MOST
of the recipes I've tried I end up using around 8.
Sterilize as many jars as you think you'll need and go
from there. Also, the baking times will vary--the
moistness of each cake recipe will determine the time.
Again, MOST of the recipes I've tried bake in 35-40
minutes. Start checking the cakes at 30 minutes and go
from there. YES, the cakes DO slide easily out of the
jars IF you use the jars I listed. They're Ball
Quilted Crystal Canning Jars (#14400-81400). They can
be found at most grocery stores (at least here in
California) next to the pectin and other canning
supplies. Also, I've seen the 12 oz straight-sided
(plain) jars (# ?) at Smart & Final. The plain jars
work fine too but they're not as pretty and you have
to make your own labels--the jars I use come with
decorative labels. One IMPORTANT tip--get your jars
NOW! Once summer's over with they're very hard to
find. Also, when you can, ask for the jars back,
they're NOT cheap. Most folks don't mind returning
them though, they usually want refills! <G> Make sure
your LIDS are new, the rings don't have to be As the
jars do seal, the cakes are as moist as the day you
put them into the jars--sometimes MORESO. There will
be a little condensation on the lids and some in the
jars so when you seal them it's trapped inside. Don't
worry about getting the water off of the lids before
placing them onto the jars, the added moisture doesn't
hurt the cakes in the slightest. I'm trying to address
every question that's been asked of me before, I HOPE
I've done that. If I've missed anything or if anyone
has any questions, don't hesitate to ask. These make
WONDERFUL Christmas gifts and you can start NOW!
Single friends really appreciate these because each
jar makes enough for one or two people.
