The new “thing” I’m stuck on is cake-in-a-jar
recipes. Have you tried them yet?! You make these little humdingers in
wide-mouth canning jars, which means they are portable for your hubby’s lunch or
for potlucks and barbecues. I’m going to
be posting several cake-in-a-jar recipes over time, and most of these little
treats will store for several weeks in your pantry and several months in the
freezer. I love reaching into my
cupboard and pulling out a little jar of cake before I settle in for the late show‑‑yum!
This recipe, “Chocolate Praline
Cake-in-a-Jar”, is borrowed from the Potter Recipe Club. The original version was created by Elizabeth
Kisch from Pensylvannia, who won first place and $10,000 bucks in a cake
contest back in 2002. You’ll see why Elizabeth’s
cake won when you try this great recipe for yourself:
Chocolate
Praline Cake-in-a-Jar
(makes 10 to 12 servings)
You Will Need:
- 10
to 12 half-pint canning jars with rings and lids
- A
rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan to hold the jars during baking
For the Cake:
- 8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/2
cups packed light brown sugar
- 2
large eggs
- 1
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-1/2
teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4
teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2
cups sifted cake flour
- 2/3
cup sour cream
- 2/3
cup brewed coffee (you can use leftover coffee from breakfast!)
For the Praline Topping:
- 2
tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4
cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2
cup water
- 1
cup powdered sugar
- 1/2
cup pecan halves or pieces
Here
We Go! Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the canning jars on the rimmed baking
sheet and set aside. In a large bowl, beat
together the butter, brown sugar and eggs until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking soda and salt
and mix until combined. Add half of the
flour and half of the sour cream and mix until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour
cream. Drizzle in the coffee and mix
until smooth. The batter will be thin,
like heavy cream. Pour the batter into
the jars, filling them about half way. Bake
until the tops of the cakes are firm to the touch, approximately 25 minutes.
For the topping, melt the butter
in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the brown sugar and water and stir with a wooden spoon until the
sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove
from heat and stir in the powdered sugar until combined, and then return the
mixture to the heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the nuts. Working quickly (because the praline hardens
as it cools), pour the praline topping over the cakes to cover. Allow the cakes to cool completely and then
screw on the jar lids. The cakes can be
kept for several days at room temperature.
Hillbilly
Art
Here in Idaho, we have a lot of
what I fondly refer to as “Hillbilly Art”.
We’re a mostly agricultural state brimming with cattle, homemade pies and
county fairs. In some parts, you can
drive for a couple hours and see nothing more than a gas station and a greasy
spoon café. Small towns with beautiful
names like Bliss, Sugar City, Garden Valley and Sweet dot our landscapes, and
with so much work to do on our farmlands, people here tend to stay home and create
their own, uh, art.
A few examples come to mind,
unfortunately on days when I didn’t have my camera. For example, I once came upon a deer made from
logs with tree limbs for the legs and antlers.
That wouldn’t be unusual except for the fact that the farmer perched it on the roof of his house so you
could see it from the highway. Or
the time I happened upon an elk’s skull painted with psychedelic colors and
peace signs and wired to the front of an old Volkswagon bus (would love to have
that come up behind me on the highway). My
recent favorite was a van on its way to a wedding which bore the words “Honk
for Bridesmaids; Moon for the Bride”. Ah,
Idaho art.
I have simple rules for something
to be included in my Hillbilly Art collection.
First, it’s tacky. Second, I can’t
respond other than sucking in my breath and whispering “Geeeesh”. My first photo
for this week hails from a gas station in Cascade, Idaho. I was stunned by the sign that read “No Dogs
Allowed”. Perhaps the landscaping had
been done by some local folks? Maybe the
Cascade Chamber of Commerce pitched in?
I seriously doubt a dog might leave something here that could damage the
scenery. Geeeesh . . .
That’s it for now. Stay tuned for more exciting Hillbilly Art from
a trip to Jarbidge, Nevada, a sneak peak at my new quilt pattern coming very soon, and another great
cake-in-a-jar recipe. In the meantime, Happy Stitchin’! xoxo--Melanie
