Carrot Cake Jam

This Carrot Cake Jam is such a treat! It’s super easy and deliciously different from other jams. The warming flavors and spices of carrot cake.

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One of my all time favorite desserts has to be carrot cake. Well my friends slather this jam on a warm cream cheese topped bagel and you’ll have a hit. It’s great for holiday and hostess gifts and incredibly easy to make.

What you need

• crushed pineapple – use canned pineapple with juice or fresh pineapple chopped in your food processor. If using fresh pineapple, add ½ cup of apple juice or water to the recipe.
• carrots – peeled and shredded.
• dice apples or ripe pears – use a small dice.
• lemon juice – always use bottled lemon juice when canning jams and jellies.
• cinnamon
• cloves
• nutmeg
• pectin – use classic pectin
• sugar – you can use white sugar, a mixture of white sugar and brown sugar, raw sugar or a sugar substitute.
• walnuts – chopped medium fine.

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Pro tip: If you don’t have crushed pineapple, or you use fresh pineapple, you can pour chunks or sliced pineapple into food processor container. Pulse a few times and it is now crushed.

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How to make it

Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Rinse well with hot water. Start your boiling water canner heating. It can take up to 45 minutes to heat up. Jars need to be covered by at least 1 inch of water.

1. Shred carrots on a box grater or grating attachment for your food processor or vegetable grater.
2. Fine dice apples or pears.
3. Add the whole can of undrained pineapple to a large stockpot. Add carrots, apples or pears, lemon juice and spices to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a fast simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes until apples or pears are soft.
5. Remove pot from heat. Whisk in pectin. Then bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
6. Add sugar.
7. Bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Skim off foam, if needed.

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How to can the jam

1. Ladle hot jam into half pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. (the space between the top of the product and the rim of the jar.)
2. Remove air bubbles.
3. Wipe rims of the jar with a damp paper towel to remove any spilled debris.
4. Center lids on jars.
5. Screw on band fingertip tight. Place jars in canning pot.

Bring canning pot to a boil. Process jars in water bath canning pot for 10 minutes. Let jars rest in the hot water before removing to minimize the chance of siphoning (when product leaks from the lids even if the lids are sealed.)

Remove jars from the canning pot. Place on a kitchen towel on the counter to let cool. After 12-24 hours, check seals. (press lids in the middle. If lid flexes up or down, the jar is not sealed and should be stored in the refrigerator.

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How to use carrot cake jam

There are lots of fun ways to use this delicious, unique jam. Some of our favorites are:

• Top a block of cream cheese with jam and serve with your favorite crackers for an easy appetizer.
• Use it to top brie en croûte for a great holiday appetizer. (baked brie wrapped in pastry)
• Top a warm, toasted bagel or English muffin with cream cheese and carrot cake jam. It tastes just like carrot cake!
• Use as a topping for vanilla ice cream.
• Swirl it into oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese.
• Jars of carrot cake jam make a fun holiday or hostess gift.

Pro tips

• If you are a seasoned canner and are used to canning fruit jams and the like, you are used to the texture of the product you are stirring. This is NOT that jam. It is much thicker and a bit more difficult to stir. It is more the consistency of a cake batter.
• If you are looking for a low sugar jam. This is NOT that jam. It is a sweet delicious jam that tastes amazingly like carrot cake.
• It’s of vital importance to bring the jam to a full rolling boil. This means that as you stir it quickly, you should still see it boiling. Don’t rush this step or the jam may not set.
• Adjust your time for altitude. Altitude adjustments in notes below.
• When you are canning anything, wash and heat one more jar and lid than the recipe calls for. Often there is a bit leftover that will not fit into the jars. If you have an extra jar and lid ready to go, you can add that to a jar and let it cool on the counter. Store it in the fridge and use it first.

More delicious jam

• Apricot jam
• Seedless Raspberry Jam
• Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
• Lemon marmalade
• Summer Recipes

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Helpful tools

• canning pot
• Canning tool set
• half pint jars
• extra large bamboo cutting board

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!