Fruitcake in a Jar

There has been some talk of "quick bread in a jar" recipes in my social bubble. The concept intrigued me to look into this and I think this would be a fun and unexpected treat to give someone over the holidays. Two of the men in my family appreciate food gifts, so I think I'll pull out the canning jars and make some bread. And fruitcake. Yes, we are a fruitcake-eating family.

Ok, well, I am a fruitcake-eater and I have a family. If you give our family a fruitcake, it will be eaten. I think the hubby might eat it if it was homemade. That's how I got started.

If you know someone in the fruitcake-eating minority, this nifty treat may be just the ticket for your holiday gifting. You could bake the cake in half pint widemouth canning jars. When it's time to give them on your Pass It On Plate, you could lay a doily or decortive kitchen towel on the plate, place four to six jars on the plate, slip on the PlateWrap, and voila! You have an absolutely unforgettable gift for your own personal fruitcake-eater.

This would work well with other quick breads. Here's a link to the site where this recipe, and other "bread in a jar" recipes were discovered: http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Fruitcake+in+a+jar
-Pam

Fruitcake in a jar

Yield 8 Servings

2⅔ cup sugar
⅔ cup vegetable shortening
4 eggs
⅔ cup water
2 cups fruit (see note)
3½ cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup raisins or nuts

Use wide mouth pint size canning jars, do not use mayonnaise jars, etc. Be sure to sterilize the jars, and tops according to manufacturer's directions.
Grease the inside but not the rim of the jars to make batter: dredge the raisins and/or nuts in some of the flour.
Cream together the sugar and shortening. Beat in the eggs and water. Add the fruit. Sift together the flour, cloves, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. If desired, mix raisins and/or nuts into the batter. Note - the two cups of fruit is up to you. You can use any mixture of fruit that you like but no more than two cups.
• Two cups grated apple
• 1 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup pineapple,
• 2 cups shredded carrots,
• Mashed bananas, etc.
Pour batter into the sterilized jars 1 measuring cup of batter per jar. Do not use more or cake will overflow. And the jars will not seal. Place jars evenly spaced apart for browning on cookie sheet.
Place in preheated 325-degree oven.
Bake about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove jars one at a time using two potholders (jars will be very hot) leave other jars in the oven but work fast. Wipe the rim. Place the metal disc on top in place then twist on screw ring to secure. You will hear it seal with a "ping" sound quite fast.
Open the oven, remove another jar and repeat.
Generally, any quick bread recipe works, but be sure to measure one cup of batter per jar. The cake will slide out whole, or it can be cut into sticks.
The cake should last for one year.
NOTES: great for gifts

Posted to Bakery-Shoppe Digest V1 #217 by Lea <lhoover@...> on Sep 04, 1997