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Carrot Cake Jam Recipe: A Sweet Spread with a Twist

Carrot Cake Jam

A sweet, warmly spiced jam made with finely grated carrots, crushed pineapple, lemon juice, and powdered pectin. It is especially delicious on toast, scones, biscuits, and cream cheese.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 cups Finely grated carrots
  • 1 20-ounce can Crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon Bottled lemon juice
  • 1 1.75-ounce package, approximately 49 grams Powdered fruit pectin
  • 4 cups Granulated sugar
Spices
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
Optional Additions
  • 1/2 cup Raisins
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground ginger or allspice
  • 1/2 cup Finely chopped walnuts

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Wash, peel, and finely grate the carrots. Fine shreds soften quickly and create a smoother, more cake-like jam texture.
  2. Add the carrots, undrained crushed pineapple, bottled lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to a large saucepan. Stir in the raisins or ginger if using.
  3. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the carrot shreds are tender.
  4. Stir in the powdered pectin. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
  5. Add all of the sugar at once, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil.
  6. Boil hard for 1 minute while stirring continuously, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
  7. Skim away any foam that forms. If making a refrigerator batch, stir in the chopped walnuts after cooking, if desired.
  8. Ladle the hot jam into clean, hot jars, leaving the headspace specified by the preserving method you are following. For refrigerator jam, cool the jars, cover them, and refrigerate.

Notes

Use bottled lemon juice because its acidity is standardized for preserving recipes. Do not double the batch, since a larger volume may cook unevenly and may not set properly. Omit walnuts if storing the jam for longer periods. Because carrots are a low-acid vegetable, refrigerate this jam unless using an independently tested, current canning recipe and exact processing directions from a recognized preserving authority.