CHOCOLATE CAKE BAKED IN A JAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Pre-wash (8 pint-sized wide mouth canning jars) canning jars (be sure to use the kind that have no shoulders) in hot, soapy water.
• Rinse well, dry and let them come to room temperature.
• Grease insides of jar well.
• Beat together butter and half of sugar until fluffy.
• Add eggs and remaining sugar, vanilla and applesauce.
• Sift dry ingredients together and add to the applesauce mixture a little at a time: beat well after each addition.
• Pour one cup of batter into each jar and carefully remove any batter from the rims.
• Place jars in a preheated 325° oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• While cakes are baking, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and carefully add jar lids.
• Remove pan from heat and keep lids hot until ready to use.
• When the cakes have finished baking, remove jars from oven.
• Make sure jar rims are clean.
• (If they're not, jars will not seal correctly) Place lids on jars, and screw rings on tightly.
• Jars will seal as they cool.
• Cakes will slide right out when ready to serve.
• Unsealed jars should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 2 weeks.
• Sealed jars may be stored with other canned food or placed in a freezer.
• DO NOT PLACE HOT JARS IN FREEZER!
• The cake is safe to eat as long as the jar remains vacuum-sealed and free from mold.
• To enjoy the best flavor, try to eat all canned cakes within 6 months.