Serious Eats: Recipes
Cakespy: Pumpkin Cake in a Jar
Jessie Oleson (aka Cakespy) drops by every Monday to share a delicious dessert recipe. —The Mgmt.
[Original artwork and photographs: Jessie Oleson]
If you really want to see something horrifying this Halloween season, try shipping a cupcake. Trust me, it's not pretty.
However, if you want to share some sweetness with friends and family who may be far away, there is a solution: bake your cakes in jars. Yup, that's right: bake up some delicious pumpkin cake directly in jars for contained, easy-to-ship parcels which can be topped with whipped cream or frosting when they've reached their destination, making for a sweet and thoughtful treat.
Note: You can choose your own adventure when it comes to the size of your jars. I tried a variety, including 8-ounce, pint-sized, and even baby food jars (smaller jars will require less baking time). The key is to choose jars with a fairly wide mouth, so that the cake will be easy to scoop out with a spoon when it's time to eat.
When it comes to frosting or whipped cream topping, I don't suggest topping the cakes before shipping, but you can frost or top them and then put the lids on for short-term transit (for instance, if they're packed in a lunch).
About the author: Jessie Oleson is a Seattle-based writer, illustrator, gallery owner, and cake anthropologist who runs Cakespy, an award-winning dessert website.
