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Red Velvet Cupcakes in jars

holding up a samll jar filled with red velvet cake

I never showed you the pictures of the red velvet cupcakes I baked back in May! I baked them in, wait for it, jars. I made these for two bake sales that just happened to be on the same day, so I made a whole lot of them. I used the Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Pinch My Salt. I made two batches and filled 48 four-ounce jars. I think there might have been batter left over, maybe? It seems like it was so long ago, but I can tell you for certain that I filled four dozen jars.

cupcake in a jar

I filled the jars about 1/3rd of the way full with batter, after baking this left enough room at the top of the jar for frosting and sprinkles. (I do wish I’d bought larger jars, four ounces seemed so itty once I got them home.)

clean jars set out to dry

There is something very satisfying about rows and rows of brand new and just cleaned jars.

cream cheese and butter set out to soften

Know what I need to remember to do? Keep track of which cubes of butter come from the same stick when I cut them up to allow them to soften. I made two separate batches and just sort of had to guess how much was half the butter. Oops. For the record I have seven cutting boards and I never think I have too many.

jars on silpats

I finally bought myself some sheet pans that are the right size to hold my Silpats. The Silpats help keep the jars from sliding around. I tossed my other odd-sized (and badly mistreated) baking sheets and have not missed them. Apparently I need seven cutting boards but can get by just fine with two jelly roll pans.

red food coloring and cocoa, looking grisly

The red food coloring looks crime scene-y. Know how much food coloring goes into each batch? A lot. I think my brain didn’t comprehend how much it would take so I ended up doing a last minute run to the grocery store for more. (There is always one thing that makes me end up at a grocery store at 11 p.m. I don’t mind though, grocery stores at odd hours can be an adventure.)

cutout circle for the top of the jar

I traced the jar lids onto paper, scanned the circles into Photoshop, designed and printed out labels on cardstock and cut the circles out by hand. (Scott helped, he’s awesome. He also helped pipe frosting and sprinkle red nonpareils more artfully than I did.) These labels were cut to fit just between the layers of the jar lids so they wouldn’t require any adhesive to keep them in place, making the jars easy to wash and reuse. The other side of the label lists the ingredients. I included some small spoons attached to the jars with silver elastic cords that I bought at a packaging supply store. My favorite thing to use the little jars for is to shake just enough vinaigrette for two, three or four salads. I also save seeds in them. (The Canary Bird Vine will live to see another year!)

I always have nightmares that I’ve misspelled something on a label. Creme cheese frosting? Cram cheese frosting? Cream chese frosting? Cream cheese frosing? This keeps me up at night.

· comments [62] · 06-28-2011 · categories:food ·

62 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Stephanie // Jul 14, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    I actually seal the jars and send to my husband in Afghanistan :) They keep for up to 6 months!!! I do not frost them though ….

  • 2 Dana // Jul 25, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    I found a recipe for these in a DIY wedding book, so that’s exactly what I’m doing. Thanks for the pics and recipe link…they look delicious!!! I’m wondering if I could find a recipe that uses beet juice instead of the enormous amount of red food dye, though. Wonder if they’d bake up okay in jars. If I try, I’ll let you know! Love your site, BTW. :)

  • 3 Archena // Aug 16, 2011 at 11:53 am

    You can relax – you spelled every word on the label correctly.

    Great blog!

  • 4 Jakki // Oct 13, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    These are the cutest :3 I’ve always wanted to have a go making these cupcakes in jars…I’m just scared of the glass exploding in the hot oven!!

  • 5 Deb Amrine // Oct 27, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    I love this idea. I make a black bottom cupcake that is a family favorite. My son has requested I serve them at the rehearsal dinner for his wedding. I think I will try baking them in jars. Do you think the 8oz quilted jars will work?
    Thanks for sharing your fun ideas!

  • 6 megan // Oct 27, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    I think 8 ounce jars would be great for this. If you frost the cupcakes be sure to only fill the jars 1/3rd or 1/2 of the way full with batter so that once the cupcake is baked you’ll still have enough room in the top of the jar for the frosting. Wishes for a very wonderful day to your son!

  • 7 More About T.S.A.'s Confiscated Cupcake - NYTimes.com // Jan 12, 2012 at 9:43 am

    […] presentation. Cupcakes baked in a jar — not just sealed inside a jar, but in some cases baked right in it, with frosting swirled on top, or even mixed all together with cupcake pieces, like tiramisu, […]

  • 8 jeff lanham // Jan 24, 2012 at 10:06 pm

    hi martha i’m jeff i think you’re idea for cupcakes in a jar is a really sweet idea

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  • 11 Bernie // Feb 5, 2016 at 2:49 pm

    How much did you sell them for?

  • 12 megan // Feb 6, 2016 at 10:19 am

    Bernie – I cannot remember! I think it was something that was higher than I would have thought of for myself. $4 or $5?

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