Pumpkin cake in a jar

Time for one of my holiday baking traditions, pumpkin cake in a jar. This is from a recipe that my mom made years ago, and I started making every Christmas a few years ago. They make great gifts for coworkers or neighbors, and since they're sealed in a jar, they keep unrefrigerated for quite awhile. Much longer than I've ever been able to keep one around without eating it, anyway. Here are some pictures, and I'll share the recipe at the bottom.


A dozen jars, set out on a baking sheet ready to be filled. I think they still need a shot of nonstick spray inside at this point. The Silpat is only there to keep the jars from sliding around.


The cake batter. Making a 12 jar batch of this is pretty much maximum capacity on my 9 cup Kitchenaid mixer.


Jars filled and ready to bake.


Sofia was very curious about what I was baking and why I was taking pictures of it...


Cakes baked and out of the oven. Have to hurry a little at this point to get the lids so they can seal as they cool.


Jars lidded and cooling. The 42 minutes at 325 degrees is for the next batch that just went in.


Three of the five dozen jars I'm making this year.

Pumpkin Cake in a Jar

Ingredients / 8 jars / 12 jars
Shortening / 2/3 cup / 1 cup
Sugar / 2 2/3 cups / 4 cups
Eggs / 4 / 6
Pumpkin / 2 cups / 3 cups
Water / 2/3 cup / 1 cup
Flour / 3 1/3 cups / 5 cups
Salt / 1 ½ tsp. / 2 tsp.
Ground cloves / 1 tsp. / 1 ½ tsp.
Allspice / ½ tsp. / ¾ tsp.
Cinnamon / 1 tsp. / 1 ½ tsp.
Baking soda / 2 tsp. / 3 tsp.
Walnuts (optional) / 1 cup / 1 ½ cups
8 or 12 pint-size, wide mouth jars with lids and rings for sealing
Wax paper circles cut to fit inside jars

Cream shortening and sugar together, adding sugar slowly. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and water. Set Aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, ground cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and stir well. Stir in nuts, if using.

Pour batter into greased canning jars, filling half-full. Place jars on cookie sheet. Bake upright in preheated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. (Cake will rise and pull away from sides of jar.)

When done, remove cookie sheet from oven. While still warm, place wax paper circle on the top end of the cake. Wipe sealing edge of jar. Place lid on jar and close tightly with ring. Let cool fully; jars should seal as they cool.

To serve: Open jar, shake cake out. May need to slide a knife around inside of jar to loosen cake. Warm cake in oven if desired. Slice and serve.

This recipe was slightly adapted from the cookbook Recipes from Riversong, Pat Crocker, Moulin Publishing, 1996.