Skip to Content

Mason Jar Cupcakes

Like it? Share it with friends!

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches!  Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches! Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

For years I volunteered for an organization that connected civilians with deployed soldiers to provide the soldiers with support during their deployment.  I started as a supporter sending letters and packages and then worked my way up to volunteering as an adoption admin.  It was rewarding work and I was sad when I had to leave it for personal reasons.  But when the new interim CEO called and asked me to come back she had no idea she was answering a silent plea to the universe to give me a little something to do for others.  What a great way to get back into giving back!

Supporting a soldier is a huge time commitment, one that I really don’t have the time for these days, but being able to help behind the scenes to connect soldiers with civilians willing and able to support them is so rewarding!  It does throw me back to the way back days when I was creatively packing boxes for birthdays and holidays and just to get my soldier through the brutally hot summer months.

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches! Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

My first soldier was obsessed with peanut butter cookies and couldn’t say enough good things about them when I’d send them over!  They were by far the most requested item for any care package but when his birthday rolled around I couldn’t send just cookies.  There had to be cake!  Thanks to the magical wonder of the internet I learned just how easy it was to make cake in a mason jar!  Super simple and seals itself if done right so the cake arrives fresh and delicious.

I used to send it over in the biggest jars I could find and that was all well and good when he wasn’t planning on sharing for his birthday and I wasn’t planning on making him.  But it occurred to me that I could do the same thing only in smaller portions that could be shared among a unit or bunk for holidays and special occasions.  The littlest jam jars make perfect cupcake portions and when sealed and wrapped right will make you the talk of the camp.

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches! Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

These individual servings make a great way to send a homemade dessert to school with your littles, too.  So long as glass containers aren’t against the rules!  If you’re sending these to school with the kiddos then you can go ahead and add the frosting of your choice before adding the lid and ring.  If you’re sending these in the mail then send a canned frosting instead.  Sorry, but food safety prevails over homemade deliciousness in this case.

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches! Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

Have you ever sent goodies in the mail or supported a deployed soldier?

Meaghan

Mason jar cupcakes are perfect for picnics, care packages, and school lunches! Pack these single serving mason jar cupcakes for a special treat anywhere!

Mason Jar Cupcakes

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees then sift together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa into the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. Whisk together oil, milk, egg white, and vanilla and slowly pour into the mixer set to low. Mix until just combined.
  3. Prepare small 4oz mason jars with butter and flour or cooking spray and fill with batter just to the bottom of the threads.
  4. Reduce oven temp to 325 and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Claudia

Tuesday 24th of October 2023

How long will they be good as long as they are sealed?

Meaghan

Tuesday 31st of October 2023

These were usually received and eaten within about 2 weeks with no complaints from the recipients :)

Maria

Thursday 17th of May 2018

These were very cool! I made a test run with them today and overfilled a little. They ended up springing out of the top and running down the side of the jar some. I ended up putting whip cream on top with cut up strawberries and blueberries. They looked beautiful and will be awesome for a party.

Meaghan

Thursday 17th of May 2018

I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Maria!

debbie

Thursday 18th of August 2016

Great recipes and ideas. But when are the lids and rings put on and sealed fir shipping ?

Meaghan

Friday 19th of August 2016

If you're going to be shipping these carefully add the lids to the hot jars as soon as you take them out of the oven. As they cool they'll seal and you should hear a little pop. Once they're cooled completely add the rings.

~Meaghan

shobelyn

Monday 24th of August 2015

wowowowo! amazing idea. will try this... BTW, cannot find your subscribe form in mobile; just visiting from FBC

Meaghan

Monday 24th of August 2015

Shobelyn, thank you! And thanks for letting me know about the mobile subscribe form. I just switched to a new plugin and am still slowly trying to figure it all out. I'll get that set up!

~Meaghan

Nicole @Little Blog on the Homestead

Monday 17th of August 2015

Oh my goodness these are so adorable and they were so delicious!!

Meaghan

Monday 17th of August 2015

I need more. Bring on the Oreo cupcake tests this week!

~Meaghan