Carrots are packed with vitamins and minerals.
But if you’ve ever tried to get kids to eat them, you know that they aren’t always considered tasty.
This carrot cake jam canning recipe could change everything.
This recipe is perfect for first-time canners, and it comes together very quickly.
You’ll love it!
How to Make & Can Carrot Cake Jam
This recipe is made for a water-based canner. With just a few ingredients, you’ll have enough jam to please your family for months.
Equipment Needed
- Vegetable peeler
- Cheese grater
- Sharp knife
- Stainless steel saucepan with lid
- Small saucepan
- Water canner with lid
- Six half-pint jars with lids and rings (for a whole canner load)
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1½ cups of carrots (peeled and grated)
- 1½ cups of pears (peeled, cored, and chopped)
- 1 can pineapple (425 mL)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 6½ cups sugar
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Canning Time
10 minutes
Step 1: Prepare Carrots
Carrots grow deep in the dirt, and some of that debris can cling to them when they’re harvested.
Start by washing all of your carrots in warm water, and use your fingers to wipe away the dirt.
Peel all of your carrots very carefully, as the skins can lend a bitter taste to the jam.
Then, grate your carrots until you have 1½ cups ready to go.
Step 2: Prepare Pears
Wash your pears under warm water, and use your fingers to wipe away any dirt. I also use this step to ensure that none of my pears have problems like mold or insect damage.
Peel your pears, remove the cores, and chop the remainder. You’ll need 1½ cups for a full batch of this recipe.
Step 3: Prepare Jars and Lids
You’ll need 6 half-pint jars for a full batch of this recipe. While you don’t need new ones, each jar should be in perfect condition to withstand the heat of the canner without breaking.
Inspect them carefully, and wash them in soap and hot water. Place them in your canner and fill it with water. Turn the heat on medium, and let the jars simmer.
This step will sterilize them, which is crucial, as this jam has a very short processing time.
Place your lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Let the adhesive on the lids soften over low heat.
Step 4: Combine Fruit, Vegetables, and Spices
It’s time to start cooking your jam! Place the prepared carrots and pears in your stainless steel pan.
Add the entire can of pineapple (including the juice) to the mixture. I used pineapple chunks for this recipe, but crushed versions would make for a smoother jam.
Stir in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of cloves.
Bring your mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir the mixture regularly to ensure it doesn’t scorch.
Step 5: Boil for 20 Minutes
Your ingredients will be very dry at this stage, but the heat will help the fruit to release juice. Once your jam is boiling, turn down the heat to medium.
Put the lid on your stainless steel pan, and keep the burner on. Boil this jelly gently for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and stir periodically.
Step 6: Add Pectin and Boil
After 20 minutes of simmering, your ingredients will be soft and very fragrant. Stir in an entire package of liquid pectin. Keep stirring the liquid until your pectin is completely dissolved. Bring this mixture to a full boil.
Step 7: Add Sugar All At Once and Boil
Add 6½ cups of sugar all at once. Stir it carefully to ensure that the sugar completely melts without clumps or bumps.
I also like to scoop up the contents from the bottom of the pan to the top so nothing sticks and scorches.
Boil this jelly for 1 minute while stirring it constantly.
Step 8: Test the Jelly
After 1 minute, your jelly should be firm and ready to go inside the jars. It’s best to test it first so you don’t put up something that sloshes inside the jars.
Take the pan off the heat, and dip the spoon inside the hot jam. Hold the spoon up to the light and watch for drips.
If the jam slides off the spoon slowly, it’s ready for the canner. If it looks like the liquid has the same consistency as water, it needs another minute of cooking.
Step 9: Fill the Jars
Remove your prepared jars from the canner, and put your canning funnel inside one jar. Use your ladle to carefully fill your jar with delicious jam.
Leave ¼ inch of space at the top of the jar for the jam to expand when it’s heated in the canner.
Repeat this process for all of your jars. Keep a close eye on that headspace and ensure you don’t put too much in your jars.
If you pack them too tight, the jam can boil over inside the canner and keep the lids from sealing.
Step 10: Apply Lids and Rings
Dampen a paper towel, and wipe down the top of all of your jars. Splatter and splashes of jam can keep the lids from sticking (which could mean you lose some of your jam in the canner).
Use your lid lifter to remove your lids from the water bath. Put one on each jar, and apply a ring. Screw it down until it’s finger-tight.
The lids should stay on inside the canner, but air should be able to escape during processing. If you screw the rings down too tight, the lids won’t seal.
Step 11: Process Jars
Put your prepared jars inside the canner. Keep them upright inside the canner, and ensure they’re covered with at least an inch of boiling water.
Put the cover on the canner and process the jars for 10 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 12: Let Jars Cool
After the jars are processed, the lids still need a little more time to adhere. Start by turning off the heat and remove the lid from the canner.
Leave the jars submerged in the canner for 5 minutes.
Use your jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner, and place them on a cutting board to cool for 24 hours.
Step 13: Test Your Lids
After 24 hours, you’ve probably heard your lids pop as they adhere to the jars. It’s time to test them!
Remove the rings from your jars, and press on the center. You shouldn’t hear the lids pop and click. If they move or make noise, the lids didn’t attach.
Put these jars in the freezer, or put them in the refrigerator and eat them within a few days.
Put the date on lids that sealed properly, and store your jars.
How Long Does Carrot Cake Jam Last?
The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. Writing the date on your jars ensures that you know when it’s time to eat them.
I also like to rotate my jars regularly by date. I put the oldest things at the front of the shelves and ensure I eat them before the newer products. Paying close attention to the dates ensures I don’t let anything go to waste.
Ideas for Using Carrot Cake Jam
I’ve discovered some really interesting ways to use carrot cake jam. These are a few of my favorite ideas:
- Top a bowl of cottage cheese with carrot jam.
- Add zest to a boring slaw with a bit of jam.
- Mix jam with olive oil for an interesting take on salad dressing.
- Add jam to muffin mixtures.
- Spread carrot cake jam on buttered toast for a nice wake-up call.
- Add jam to tabouleh for an interesting take on an old classic.
- Spread jam on chicken before you pop it on the grill.
- Serve jam as a side dish for sausages.
- Use carrot cake jam for a tasty glaze for ham.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups carrots peeled and grated
- 1½ cups pears peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 can pineapple 425 mL; include the juice
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 6½ cups sugar
Instructions
Prepare Carrots
- Wash the carrots in warm water, using your fingers to remove any dirt.
- Carefully peel the carrots and grate them until you have 1½ cups.
Prepare Pears
- Wash the pears under warm water to remove any debris.
- Peel, core, and chop the pears until you measure out 1½ cups.
Prepare Jars and Lids
- Inspect 6 half-pint jars for any chips or cracks and wash them in hot, soapy water.
- Place the jars in your water bath canner, fill with water, and heat over medium until ready to use.
- Warm the lids in a small saucepan with warm water over low heat.
Combine Fruit, Vegetables, and Spices
- In a stainless steel saucepan, combine the grated carrots, chopped pears, and the entire can of pineapple (with its juice).
- Stir in 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon cloves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring regularly to prevent scorching.
Boil for 20 Minutes
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover the saucepan with its lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid periodically to stir the mixture and ensure even cooking.
Add Pectin and Boil
- After 20 minutes, stir in the package of powdered pectin until completely dissolved.
- Increase the heat to bring the mixture back to a full, rolling boil.
Add Sugar All at Once and Boil
- Add 6½ cups of sugar all at once, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Continue to boil the mixture for 1 minute while stirring constantly. The consistency should become thick and clear.
Test the Jelly
- Remove the pan from the heat and test the jam by dipping a spoon into it.
- Hold the spoon up to the light—if the jam drips slowly and holds its shape, it’s ready. If it’s too runny, boil for an additional minute and test again.
Fill the Jars
- Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canner and place them on a towel or cutting board (avoid cold surfaces to prevent cracking).
- Insert a canning funnel into each jar and ladle the hot jam in, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top.
Apply Lids and Rings
- Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp paper towel to remove any jam residue.
- Using the lid lifter, remove the warmed lids from their water bath, place one on each jar, and secure with rings until finger-tight. The rings should be snug enough to hold the lids in place while allowing air to escape during processing.
Process Jars
- Carefully lower the jars into the water bath canner, ensuring they are covered with at least 1 inch of boiling water.
- Cover the canner with its lid and process the jars for 10 minutes (adjust processing time for your elevation if necessary).
Let Jars Cool
- After processing, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.
- Leave the jars submerged in the canner for 5 minutes to stabilize, then use the jar lifter to remove them.
- Place the jars upright on a cutting board or towel and let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Test Your Lids
- After 24 hours, remove the rings from the jars and press the center of each lid with your finger.
- If the lids do not flex or pop, the jars are properly sealed.
- Label each jar with the date and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Storage: Foods preserved in a water bath canner should be consumed within about a year. Rotating jars by date helps ensure nothing goes to waste.
