Deliver cupcakes in a jar to a friend on their birthday! Such a cute and easy-to-customize gift! Make whatever cupcake flavor you’d like, layer in a jar, add a lid and deliver!
Sending a gift to a friend? Try our Birthday In a Box gift idea!
Watch Our Step By Step Video!
We first made cupcakes in a jar in 2009, and sent them to school with Dallin to give to his teachers. They were a hit! A sweet treat in a reusable jar. We made more this year and gave them out at the drive by birthay parties that we were invited to. How many drive-by parties have you been to during Covid?
Cupcakes In a Jar Flavor Combinations
The flavor combinations are endless. Here are some of our favorites!
- German Chocolate with Coconut Frosting
- Red Velvet With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon With Vanilla Frosting
- Funfetti With Vanilla Frosting
- Carrot With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate With Chocolate Frosting
More Easy Gift Ideas
Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cupcake Baking Tips
99% of the time I make my cakes and cupcakes from boxed mixes. I really don’t notice a difference, and there are a couple of tricks to making ANY cake mix taste incredible. You don’t need to do all of these— just pick one! My go-to is tip #1. This really creates a moist cupcake.
- Add 1 cup of sour cream to the batter. Just stir it right in.
- Use whole milk instead of water.
- Substitute melted butter for the oil and double the amount.
- Add an extra egg for a richer cupcake.
You can bake the cupcakes in a greased cupcake pan without cupcake liners, but I like using liners and peeling them off after the cupcakes have cooled. It makes for a softer cupcake without a crust.
Freezing Extra Cupcakes
One package of cupcakes usually makes 24 cupcakes. Extra cupcakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. So make a batch, and save the rest to make these quick gifts another day!
Packaging Tips
- Tuck a plastic fork under the ribbon if or tape one on with washi tape.
- Send one in the mail! If you are already mailing out a package, slip one of these into the priority flat rate box.
- Only using 1 cupcake? Use a small jelly canning jar.
How To Assemble Cupcakes In A Jar
Cupcakes In a Jar Gift Idea
Deliver cupcakes in a jar to a friend on their birthday! Such a cute and easy-to-customize gift! Make whatever cupcake flavor you'd like, layer in a jar, add a lid and deliver!
Yield: 1 Jar
Cost: $2
Equipment
- half pint jars with lids
- ribbon
- plastic forks
Materials
- cupcakes baked and cooled
- frosting
- frosting bag with tip
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Place one cupcake in the bottom of a half pint sized jar.
- Pipe frosting over cupcake. If you don't have a frosting bag, use a ziploc plastic bag and cut the corner off.
- Add sprinkles.
- Repeat with second cupcake.
- Add a lid, and tie with ribbon.
Video
Notes
You can freeze extra cupcakes for up to 6 months.
Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!
Oh these are adorable and so creative! I’d love for you to link them up with us today!
http://texasmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/09/dr-seuss-cat-in-hat-themed-party-all.html
GREAT idea- I believe some of my kiddos teachers will be receiving these too…
Brilliant, as usual. As a teacher I would be ALL ABOUT cupcakes at the end of the day 🙂
I love these. Hopefully a lot easier on the mess when it’s in a jar!! Cute.
awesome idea! definitely filing this one away in the brain! :o)
Oh, I think I’m going to do this at Christmastime. Great tip!
I was so happy to wake up this morning and see this! Great idea for our halloween invites to the neighbor and cute!
Fabulous and cute at the same time! Not to mention yummy!
What a great gift and you’re right, perfect packaging!
http://www.makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com
These are adorable! Fantastic idea!
I would love for you to come by this week and link up at my Friday Favorites party!
So cute. I can’t wait to try making these.
Very cute! And yes, I would enjoy one of these in the mail (:
I’m your newest follower. http://moogieland.blogspot.com/
I would love to have you join me tomorrow over at our Sassy Sites blog party! It’s our Feature YOU Friday! Come by and check it out! xoxo
Marni
@ Sassy Sites!
I love this idea!! An unexpected and easy way to share cupcakes!! I can even see this idea used at a party. thanks for the sweet inspiration!
Jennifer
Such a great idea. I wanted to just take a few friends to the museum for my son’s birthday. Now I can just send home dessert. Yeah!!
What a fun idea! This would be a great way to get cupcakes to a picnic. If you have a free moment, I have a new weekly (I hope!) Linky on my blog called Not “Baaad” Sundays with LambAround. I’d love for you to post this 🙂
Super cute and fun idea! Love these. I’ll be featuring this tomorrow – Stop by and grab a featured button if you like. Thanks for linking up to the Sunday Showcase. I greatly appreciate it. Hope you have a fabulous week. Stephanie Lynn
Just wanted to let you know I featured these today on our link up so feel free to come by and grab a button and link up this week to while you’re there.
http://texasmonkey.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-about-you-monday-fall-decorations.html
I absolutely love this idea!
Such a cute idea! Has anyone thought of a plastic alternative? It would be cheaper to ship and if little ones dropped it no breakage…
What a fun gift idea! Thanks for sharing.
I love the idea but have a question for you. You mention (in the ingredients list) a 1/2 pint jar. Then in the instructions, you mention a pint-size jar. Will two cupcakes fit into the half-pint? Or do you need the full pint size for two cupcakes and icing to fit into?
It’s should say half-pint. I’ll go in and change it! Two cupcakes will fit into a half pint (8 oz) jar. Thanks!!
Oops! Guess I have one more question…or I’d like the answer to Carol’s question about a plastic alternative. At my house, if something CAN be broken, it WILL be broken. I’m not a big fan of plastic use, but in this case it would certainly be handy and wise too.