Birthday Cake In A Jar

(5)

Celebrate the people you love with an individual mason jar filled with birthday cake.

Active Time:
1 hrs
Total Time:
1 hrs 50 mins
Servings:
8

What could be more Southern than a sweet birthday cake perfectly packaged in a mason jar? It's thoughtful, easy, and oh-so delicious.

This cake in a jar recipe starts with a package of boxed cake mix (to save time), but we made a few changes to really take it to the next level. By substituting melted butter for oil and whole milk for water, we guarantee your boxed cake mix will taste better than ever.

This Birthday Cake in a Jar recipe is complete with a homemade cream cheese icing that beautifully incorporates sweet and tangy flavors. Once the cake is baked and cooled, cut out circles of cake using the mason jar opening, and then layer the cake and icing until it fills the jar. Add assorted sprinkles to make this jar cake adorably festive.

Whether you're leaving it at someone's doorstep or storing it in your freezer for grab-and-go birthday gifts when needed, this recipe is sure to impress.

Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar ready to serve with candles on top

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat oven and prepare the pan:

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 1 rimmed (18x13-inch) baking sheet with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper. Or, alternatively, lightly grease 2 (9x13-inch) rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper. Gather your ingredients.

    Southern LIving Birthday Cake in a Jar ingredients

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

  2. Bake the cake:

    Prepare cake mix according to recipe instructions. Fold 2/3 cup sprinkles into batter if using.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar adding the sprinkles to the cake batter

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Spread batter into prepared baking sheets.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar spreading the batter into the pan

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Bake in preheated oven 20-23 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar cake after baking

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

  3. Prepare Frosting and cut Cake circles:

    Let cake cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting and place in a piping bag. If all frosting does not fit in one bag, do this in batches.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar making the cream cheese frosting

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Place cooled cake on a cutting board. Use a mason jar to cut 24 circles of cake; set aside.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar cutting the circles of cake

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

  4. Assemble the Jars:

    Place one circle of cake in a mason jar, lightly pressing cake to very bottom of jar. Pipe frosting about 1/2-inch thick on top of cake layer, then top with a second cake layer.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar assembling the jars

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Pipe another 1/2-inch of frosting on top of second layer, then add one final layer of cake and a final 1/2-inch layer of frosting.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar assembling the jars

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar finishing the jars with sprinkles

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

    Place lid on mason jar and repeat with remaining cake, frosting, and sprinkles.

    Southern Living Birthday Cake in a Jar ready to serve with a candle

    Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

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