2 1/4 c All-purpose flour
3/4 c Granulated sugar
1 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
2 ts Ground ginger
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground cloves
3/4 c Margarine, softened
3/4 c Water
1/2 c Molasses
Preheat oven to 325-degrees (NO higher).
Sterilize 5 (12 oz) Ball Quilted Crystal (#14400-81400) jam/jelly
canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them for 15 minutes. Remove
the jars from the water and allow them to air-dry on your counter
top; leave the lids and rings in the hot water until you’re ready to
use them.
Once the jars are cool enough to handle, use a pastry brush to
grease them with shortening (DO NOT use butter, margarine, PAM or
Baker’s Secret); set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder,
salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in margarine, water and
molasses until well blended. Divide batter among the 5 jars (they
should be about 1/2 full). Place jars onto a cookie sheet or they’ll
tip over.
Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until cake
tester inserted in center comes out clean. Move the jars around in
the oven while they’re baking, so they’ll bake evenly.
Have your HOT lids ready. Using HEAVY-DUTY MITTS (the jars ARE
HOT!) Take one jar at a time from the oven and place a lid on, then
the ring. Tightly screw on lids–do it FAST because the lid gets REAL
hot! Allow jars to cool on your countertop.
Once the jars are cool, decorate with round pieces of cloth.
Unscrew the ring (the lid should be sealed by now) and place a few
cotton balls or a wad of batting on top of the lid (makes it poof-y
on top), then a piece of cloth (about 3″ larger than the lid) on top
and screw the ring back on. Decorate as desired. I used pinking
shears to cut the cloth rounds out, otherwise some material will
start to unravel. A hot glue gun is INVALUABLE–glue on dried
flowers, bows, ribbons, etc.
Yields
1 Servings