Cakes in jars are the perfect dessert to bring outdoors or to bring over other people’s homes. They are very sturdy, they can be sealed and they are easy to transport. Make your favorite cake recipes and assemble them in a jar. Pint-sized jars should serve 2 people and half-pints would be better for individual servings.
German Chocolate Cake in a Jar
Servings
8 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cup sugar
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pareve milk or creamer
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup evaporate milk * see recipe below
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon water
- ½ cup margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- 6 tablespoon margarine
- ¾ cup cocoa
- ½ cup non-dairy whip topping plus more to adjust consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon clear corn syrup
- 2¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Chocolate Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 11×17-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Stir in boiling water—the batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- German Chocolate Frosting Layer
- In a medium saucepan, combine evaporated milk and brown sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
- Whisk together egg yolks and water in a small bowl. Whisking quickly, add 1/4 cup heated evaporated milk into the eggs to temper them. Pour egg mixture into the saucepan. Stir in margarine and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 240°F, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in pecans and coconut. Allow to cool.
- Creamy Chocolate Frosting Layer
- In a large mixing bowl, combine margarine, cocoa, dessert whip, vanilla, and corn syrup. Using a mixer, cream together until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in powdered sugar, and mix until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add more dessert whip; 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (Wilton 1M).
- To Assemble Jars:
- Using a circle cutter, or the mouth of a glass: cut out 16 circles of cake from the chocolate cake. Press a circle of cake into the bottom of a mason jar. Drop in a heaping teaspoonful of German Chocolate Cake Frosting. Flatten with a spoon. Pipe a swirl of Creamy Chocolate Frosting in a circle on top. Add another circle of chocolate cake. Place another spoonful of German Chocolate Cake Frosting on top of that. Finish with a swirl of Creamy Chocolate Frosting.
- *Pareve Evaporated Milk Many special desserts call for evaporated milk—which isn’t available pareve and is hard to find chalav yisrael. To create your own, pour 2 cups soy milk or rice milk into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and immediately lower heat to low. Keep heat on low for approximately 2 hours, or until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. The milk should boil, and it should be lightly steaming.
I think an 8 ounce jar or cup would be best, 16 ounces seems like it would be way too much cake for one serving.
Okay, picture looks like jars are taller than 8″. Thank you very much.
How would this look if I use plastic Aladdin Classic Mason Cups 16oz? Thanks.
Omg!! Best cake ever! Made these for a friend and we loved it. My first time ever having german chocolate. But, its def my favorite cake now!! Yummmm! Thanks!
Just curious as to what size mason jar you suggest.
how long will these last? my husband is deployed and I wanted to send him cake in a jar for his birthday and packages generally take 2-3 weeks to make it to afghanistan
How far ahead can you make these? I am throwing a bridal shower for about 50 people and wanted to have the desserts made in jars ahead of time. How long will they last in the fridge?
Curious, I would like to make this for a bday surprize for my man. I would like to make it and then bring it to have on our weekend away. I am thinking I would make it the night before and freeze it that way it will stay in tackted that way we can eat them the first night we are there. If there is a fridge in the room we could wait to his actual birthday I think he would really like it. I like the jar idea. It is so fun!
Yes, enjoy!!
I want to make this for shabbot this week and I work 8-5..so i am looking for something I can make the night before and store in the fridge and just pull out and serve….would this recipe work?
I love this. I made these for Sukkot and they were a big hit! Thanks
It is easiest to find in the summer, but a kitchen supply store should have them and some hardware stores or order it here from Amazon.
Where can I find jars like these?
Sure, you can make it as a regular layer cake. Just bake the chocolate cake in 2-9” circles instead of a jelly roll pan.
Is there a way to make this without making it in jars?