Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, plus
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 3 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Method

  • 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.