Addicted to Mason Jars...

hi my name is katie and i am addicted to mason jars. 

yes, those glass jars most usually filled with sweet jams or pickles. to me, they are perfect… for everything. i use them as water glasses, wine glasses, champagne glasses, salad dressing shakers, vases, change collectors, bug catchers, and my latest… cake servers. if you are familiar with my other blog, the practicing foodie, then you know i'm a big fan of banana bread. breakfast, brunch, lunch, dunch, or dinner, hand me a slice of banana bread and i'm a happy camper. but for dessert… hand me this version.

this is how i feel about mason jars

really, its just banana bread dressed up with some cinnamon cream cheese. but with some sugar crystal sprinkles on top, its ready for a night out (or in).

this might be my best use of a mason jar yet. at least till tomorrow.

Makes about 9 mason jar cakes

Banana Bread 

3 Tbls unsalted butter, melted 

1 c. almond flour  (I found almond flour at Trader Joe’s, if you can’t find it, all-purpose will work too…) 

1 c. all purpose flour 

3/4 c. sugar 

3/4 tsp. baking soda 

½ tsp. salt 

2 eggs 

1 ½ c. mashed bananas (3 bananas) 

¼ c. 2% greek yogurt 

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment.

Melt the butter in the microwave slowly, set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl beat the eggs together with a fork a bit. Add the mashed bananas, yogurt, butter, and vanilla and mix well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake until it is a deep golden color on top and a toothpick comes out clean. Start checking after about out 30 minutes. cool completely.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz. cream cheese, at room temp

3 oz. (3/4 stick), unsalted butter at room temp

9.75 oz (3 c.) confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (add to taste… you may like more or less cinnamon flavor)

Cream together the cream cheese and butter on a stand mixer for about a minute, until it is all smooth and creamy.

Sift the confectioners sugar into the bowl and mix on low till it is all incorporated. 

Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat on medium speed for another minute.

To assemble

Using a 2 1/2” round cutter, cut pieces of the cooled banana cake. Place one round in the bottom of the jar.

Place the cream cheese frosting in a piping bag (or Ziploc bag), cut a hole in the end and pipe a layer of frosting.

Place another round of banana cake on top. Add another layer of frosting and voila!

Dig in right away or refrigerate till time to serve.

Omg MMMM!