Cake in a Jar Recipe
Making a cake in a jar is the perfect solution when you want a fun, portable dessert that looks adorable, tastes bakery-level delicious, and comes together with surprisingly little effort.
If you’ve ever needed an easy make-ahead treat for parties, holidays, bake sales, or gifting friends and neighbors something homemade without the stress, this simple layered dessert checks every box.
These individual cakes are soft, moist, and layered with creamy frosting in perfectly portioned jars that feel extra special without extra work.
They’re family-friendly, great for celebrations, and ideal when you want a dessert that travels well and impresses every time.
Whether you’re planning a party dessert table, prepping treats ahead for the week, or packaging sweet gifts, this recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again.
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What are the ingredients for a cake in a jar?
Mason jar cakes use basic pantry staples like flour, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk to create a soft, homemade cake base layered with your favorite frosting and fun toppings like sprinkles or chocolate chips.
Tip for readers: You can easily customize this cake in a jar recipe by swapping the vanilla cake base for chocolate cake or funfetti and matching the frosting to the occasion — perfect for birthdays, holidays, bake sales, or gifting.
How to make a cake in a jar?
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease half-pint mason jars. These are the perfect size for single servings without being overwhelming.
- In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Alternate adding the dry mixture and milk, mixing just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the jars, filling each about halfway, and place them in a 9×13 cake pan before putting them in the oven so they don’t wobble or tip over.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely, then spread buttercream frosting on top and finish with your favorite toppings like sprinkles, chocolate chips, or crushed nuts.
- Seal with lids and refrigerate until ready to serve!
Make Them Ahead of Time! Bake the cakes a day in advance, frost and decorate, then store sealed in the fridge until serving.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
Yes! As long as you use jars that are labeled oven-safe, such as Ball or Kerr. Avoid decorative glass jars that may crack under high heat.
The jars keep well sealed in the fridge for 3–4 days. Just wait to add frosting and toppings until the day you plan to serve for the freshest look.
Absolutely. Freeze the baked cakes (without frosting) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then decorate as desired.
Jarden Kerr Wide Mouth Half-Pint Glass Mason Jars 8-Ounces with Lids and Bands 12-Count per Case (1-Case)Ball Regular Mouth Leak-Proof Plastic Lids for Glass Mason Jars, Used for Canning, Pickling, Juice, Jam, Jelly 6-Count, Pack of 1 (6-Lids Total)
DayMark Safety Systems 18
Extra Large Open Star Piping Tip for Churros,Eclairs,Meringues,Deviled Eggs,Cakes, Cupcakes,Cookies & Pastry Decorating,3 Pcs
Fix baking fails fast with this handy troubleshooting guide.
What size jar is best for a cake in a jar?
It really depends on how you plan to serve or gift them, but most home bakers find 8-ounce mason jars (half-pint) are the sweet spot.
Here’s a quick guide to help you choose:
- 4 oz jars – Perfect for party dessert tables, sampler trays, kids’ treats, or portion-controlled desserts
- 8 oz jars (best choice) – Ideal for gifting, bake sales, holidays, and individual servings with 2–3 visible cake layers
- 16 oz jars – Great for layered “showstopper” jars or sharing portions
Wide-mouth jars work especially well because they make layering cake and frosting much easier—and they look prettier in photos.
If you loved this recipe, you’ll want to check out these other sweet ideas too!
- Indulge in layers of frosting and cake with a fun chocolate cake in a jar that’s as cute as it is delicious.
- When you need something easy to grab and go, explore our handheld dessert ideas that are party-ready and kid-approved.
How to Make Cake in a Jar
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup frosting of your choice
- Assorted toppings sprinkles, chocolate chips, crushed nuts, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degree f oven.
- Grease the inside of half pint mason jars with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour batter evenly among the prepared mason jars, filling the bottom of the cake each jar about halfway full.
- Place the filled mason jars in a 9×13 cake pan and transfer them to the preheated oven.
- Bake cake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
- Remove the jars from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled to room temperature, spread a frosting layer on top of each cake in the jar.
- And finally, add the last layer – your favorite toppings to decorate.
- Screw the lids onto the assembled cakes and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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