Ombre Cakes in a Jar

These colorful Ombré Cakes in a Jar are perfect for a springtime dessert!

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups C&H® granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• Food coloring of your choice
• 9 (8 ounce) wide mouth Mason jars

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray inside of each jar with nonstick cooking spray. Place jars onto a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking sheet with sides.
2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, until fluffy. Add egg yolks; beat well. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture, alternating with milk, on low speed until blended; set aside.
4. In separate bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter with rubber spatula.
5. Separate batter into three bowls; add food coloring. Make the darker layers of batter by adding more food coloring.
6. Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter of one color to each Mason jar. Add the next shade and then the third, building the layers as you go along. This is a thick batter, which works well for building the layers. Jars should be 1/3 to 1/2 full.
7. Bake 25 to 27 minutes. Be careful when removing pan from oven. Place entire pan on a level cooling rack to cool completely.
8. These cakes can be filled and iced if desired. To fill, use an apple corer and gently remove some of the cake's center. Fill with icing from a pastry bag; swirl a dollop of icing onto the top. Or, just pipe some icing onto the top of each cake.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: C&H Sugar