Carrot Cake Jam

This carrot cake jam is packed full of fresh carrots, coconut, pear, pineapple and dark brown sugar. This sweet jam is like dessert in a jar. 

First of all I want send out a GIANT thank you to all my lovely guest bloggers from last week. They are amazing ladies and make the most amazing food. I’m so happy they took the time to showcase their awesomeness on my site….thank you!

If you follow me on twitter you know about this jam. I have been talking about it for forever now. I’m not really sure what took my so long to get it up on the site. I shall blame it on procrastination. That sounds good.

I made this jam from fresh carrots I received in my CSA box. They worked perfectly. They were tiny but super sweet in flavor. I also decided to use dark brown sugar instead of light brown.  Also, when I say “I decided” I really mean to say “as I was making the jam I went to grab my brown sugar and realized I had none. I quickly ran next door and my lovely neighbor gave me some to use. They only had dark brown…so I used dark brown.”

My favorite way to eat this jam is on toast with cream cheese.  I made pumpkin yeast bread earlier this year and topped that with cream cheese then I slathered on tons of this jam. It was heaven.

Carrot Cake Jam

This carrot cake jam is packed full of fresh carrots, coconut, pear, pineapple and dark brown sugar. This sweet jam is like dessert in a jar.

Yield: 7 half pints

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 65 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely shredded carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped and pealed pear
• 1 (15 ounce) can juice packed crushed pineapple, undrained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (1.75 ounce) package regular powdered fruit pectin
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut or raisin (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Canning Magazine

Directions:

In a 4-6 quart heavy pot, combine carrots, pear, pineapple with the juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle mixture with pectin, stir until pectin dissolves.

Bring carrot mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Return to a full rolling boil, boil for 1 minute, stirring constant. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon. Stir in coconut or raisins (if desired) and vanilla.

Ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized half pint canning jars, Leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner, cool on a wire rack.