I've been doing a little planning ahead figuring out what kind of dessert I'd like to serve July 4th. I've been seeing lots of photos on Pinterest showing desserts made in a Mason jar, so I decided I'd try my hand at making one.
I wanted something that could be made in advance, and was quick and easy. And red, white, and blue, of course!
Here's the blue part! Blueberries that are ripening on the bushes that we planted in our garden a few months ago.
For the red part, I went with a red velvet cake mix. Who doesn't like red velvet??? Normally I would make my own cake from scratch, but I was going for the quick and easy part here. So I just followed the directions on the package.
Before I knew it, I had 2 pans of yummy smelling cake. I only needed 1 pan of cake for this recipe so I saved the other one for making something else.
After the cake cooled, I cut it into cubes.But as I was making this, I cut the cubes into even smaller pieces to fit in the jars.
I used 8 pint sized jelly jars and these cute polka-dot lids with white bands that I found recently at the Dollar General store.
For the white part, I whipped 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1 (8 ounce) package of softened cream cheese and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Have you ever tasted that combo? It's soooooo good!
All you do is layer the cake cubes, the whipped cream mixture, and the blueberries in the jars. I had 8 jars filled before I knew it.
To dress up the jars, I tied some red, white, and blue ribbon around them and tucked in a blue spoon.
The jars can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated, and brought out when you're ready to serve them. Guests can just pass them around and enjoy them at their leisure, leaving YOU, the host, time to enjoy the festivities!
Since I was going to art class the evening that I made these, I took these along with me so that the other students could be my official taste testers! There were clean jars in just a few minutes. Like I said, "Who doesn't like red velvet cake?"
But I reserved one jar for Leo to enjoy the next day. He ate it out in the garden close to the blueberry bushes!
I can't wait until July 4th to make these again and in the meantime, I'll be putting all desserts in Mason jars this summer. So quick, easy, different, and portable!
Marcia
I picked blueberries at a farm and this is what I am definitely making for the 4th of July. Thank you Jane.
Judy
How can you go wrong with red, white and blue and Mason jars! Can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you Jane. Are those really pint jars? They look like the 8 oz. jars I used the other day for blueberry jam (which is soooo good).
We don't have our own blueberry bushes, but our neighbors generously shared theirs.
Jane Windham
Judy, I think you might be right about the size of the jars that I used! Thanks for pointing that out!
Barbara F.
These look and sound wonderful! And the way you wrapped them! love!
Jean Windham
I love them. So cute for the holidays. Jean
Ann
I agree about mason jar desserts. They are so quick and easy. This looks amazing and if I had one right now I would eat it for breakfast! How amazing too that the blueberries were fresh right off the bush. Can't even imagine!
Mary
You're speaking my love language Jane, dessert in a jar and Red Velvet Cake! Perfect for anytime but especially for the Fourth!
susie
This looks yummy recently at Walmart for the 4th of July they had blue velvet cake mix can you imagine layering this with two red velvet cake mixes one red one blue? wow my mouth is watering.Susie
Sherry
Yummy very festive.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sherry
Cynthia
Jane these are too cute and look soooo good!!!!
Cynthia
Jean WindhamJeanwindham
The red white and blue dessert looks pretty and I bet taste good too. What a unique idea with the colors and the holiday coming up to share this recipe. Thanks again Jane. Jean
Janice
Love your dessert!! They look beautifully patriotic - taste yummers!! What a combo! Thanks for sharing!
Jenna
very brilliant! love the lids~
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Love anything red, white and blue and especially in the form of a dessert!...Very, very cute Jane!! The gingham lids are like the cherry on top!
laurie
What a fun idea, Jane! So clever of you. laurie
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What an adorable idea! This not only looks so cute but looks delicious as well!
MariaElena
Yum! This is a great idea! I will have to make some soon. Looks beautiful and sounds delicious!
Linda aka Crafty Gardener
That looks so delicious ... perfect for a picnic.
Dawn
Not only yummy but pretty too. You must have some miracle soil there, Leo sure has it fined tuned to grow almost anything. Beautiful blueberry plants.
deb
What a great idea and they look delicious!
Kim
Those are so cute and not on your low carb diet. 🙂
Kathleen G
Looks very patriotic and refreshing. Mason jars are very versatile. I can see you using them from your bountiful garden.