Pumpkin Cake in a Jar

Got this idea from Angry Chicken and made up a batch as gifts for Christmas 2008. They were D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S and everybody loved them.

2/3 cup vegetable shortening
2-2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon each ground cloves, allspice, and cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Grease 8 wide-mouth pint jars.
• Cream the shortening and sugar together; beat in eggs, pumpkin, and water. Set aside.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and baking soda together; add to pumpkin mixture and stir well.
• Stir in nuts.
• Pour into jars, filling 1/2 full.
• Bake jars set upright on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes or until done.
• Remove from oven. While still warm, place waxed paper on top of each cake and place lid on jar. Cakes will slide out easily when they have cooled.
• Makes 8 cakes.