This is continued from last night – my favorite purchase at the bake sale benefit.

These make perfect gifts.

This was made by our friend Marge – who also gave me her recipe.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease inside of eight WIDE MOUTH pint canning jars.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup shortening

2-2/3 cup sugar

2 cups pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

3 – 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup chopped pecans (or other preferred nut)

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin, and water.

Sift together: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Add to pumpkin mixture, stir in nuts.

Pour mixture into greased, wide-mouth pint jars – filling to 1/2 full.

DO NOT put lids on jars before baking.

Bake 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Some people say they will bake more evenly if the jar is placed directly (and carefully) on oven racks – others prefer placing the jars on cookie sheets.

Remove jars, wipe top of each jar with a clean cloth or paper towel, and screw on lid tightly.

The vacuum from the heat will seal the jar as it is cooling.

I read on the internet that some people store them for weeks or months at room temperature, but health experts suggest that you refrigerate them – even if they seal. If you want to keep them for a long time, the suggestion is that you do not seal the jars, but put the lids on after the cake is cooled and freeze them. Or remove the bread roll from the jar, wrap or place in a container and freeze.

My variation is banana nut.

Variations of ingredients in place of pumpkin:

2 cups shredded apples

2 cups shredded carrots

1-3/4 cup applesauce, plus 1/4 cup crushed pineapple

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 bag whole ground fresh cranberries

2 cups shredded zucchini

2 cups mashed bananas

2 cups fresh peaches

1-34/ cups applesauce, plus 1/4 cup raisins.

Enjoy! This was delicious.

PS: When doing a bit of research on the internet, someone suggested that they can also be made in small jelly jars. Reduce the baking time. Google bread-in-a-jar.

I also came across a delightful cake-in-a-jar which was made in a variety of colors for a child’s birthday party. Google cake-in-a-jar.