CANNING: How to Make Carrot Cake Jam

• Homemade Carrot Cake Jam Ingredients
• Kitchen Equipment Needed
• You can make and can this homemade carrot cake jam in 3 easy steps!
• Carrot Cake Jam (Water-Bath Canning Recipe)

Do you love carrot cake? This safe, tested water-bath canning recipe for carrot cake jam packs the fall flavors of this classic spice cake into a sweet gourmet spread.

This bright-tasting and colorful preserve is rich with vanilla and spices, and will transform your breakfast toast into an indulgent treat.

Try it with cream cheese on a bagel or crackers, use it to fill thumbprint cookies, homemade sandwich cookies, or jam tarts, or as a jam filling in between the layers of a freshly-baked carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

Homemade Carrot Cake Jam Ingredients

Sugar:

This jam recipes uses white granulated sugar. I do not recommend reducing or substituting other ingredients for the sugar, which helps preserve the jam and makes it safe to can (especially since the carrots are a low-acid ingredient).

If you want a jam with a darker caramel flavor and muted color, you could safely replace some of the white sugar with light brown sugar, but make a batch with all-white sugar first for the brightest color and flavor.

Pineapple:

Use crushed canned pineapple for the easiest preparation. You can also use canned pineapple tidbits or slices, finely chopped by hand, or pulsed in a food processor until they are a chunky sauce. Save the liquid – you will be adding the juice to the jam.

Carrots:

Use fresh whole carrots, washed and well scrubbed, then peeled and grated.

Pears:

Use ripe fresh pears. Any variety of European pears will do (I use Bartlett but you can substitute similar pears). Do not substitute Asian pears. Wash, peel, core, and roughly chop the pears.

Lemon:

Use bottled lemon juice, not fresh, for this recipe.

Pectin:

This recipe was written for standard powdered pectin. Use one 1.75 oz packet, or 6 tablespoons of bulk packed pectin powder.

Flavorings:

This jam has a delicious spice mix that really captures the rich flavor of carrot cake. We’re using a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and vanilla paste or extract, plus a pinch of sea salt for balance.

Kitchen Equipment Needed

one gallon saucepan:

You’ll need a large, heavy bottomed stockpot large enough to hold all of the recipe ingredients. Opt for a pot that is too large over one that is too small, as this will help the jam thicken more quickly, and will help to contain any spatters for less mess! A thick bottom will help protect your jam from scorching.

half-pint or smaller canning jars and new lids:

Can this carrot cake jam recipe only in half-pint jelly jars or smaller 4 oz jars with new canning lids. Do not can quarts of this jam recipe. Processing time is the same for half-pint or smaller jars.

You can also portion and freeze this recipe if you prefer. Use any freezer safe airtight container, label, and use within one year to prevent freezer-burn.

large canning pot:

You need a large canning pot with a lid that will hold all of your jelly jars with room for at least an inch of rapidly boiling water to cover the lids. You can use any pot with a lid that will hold all of your jars, plus enough boiling water to cover by an inch or two and room at the top for a vigorous boil.

It’s ok to stack the jars if your pot is tall enough, but it’s best to use a jar rack or a perforated steamer insert separating between the layers so that the jars don’t jostle and break.

Canning funnel, ladle, jar tongs, and rack:

These tools are optional but make the job of filling your jars with your hot carrot cake jam, and getting them into and out of the hot water bath a lot easier and safer!

It’s best to use a canning pot with a false bottom or fitted with a jar rack to keep your jam jars from scorching or breaking on the bottom. This lets the heat circulate evenly around the jars, and protects the bottoms of the jam from burning.

If you don’t have a jar rack, use a silicone trivet or extra canning jar rings (tie them with butcher’s twine so they form an elevated platform above the bottom of the pot for your jars), or even an old folded cotton kitchen towel under the jars (make sure it’s 100% cotton so that it doesn’t melt!).

You can read more about these and our recommendations in our guide to canning equipment if you don’t already have these or are new to canning.

You can make and can this homemade carrot cake jam in 3 easy steps!

1. Prepare your jars and canner

• Wash your jars,lids, and rings with hot soapy water. Check jars rims for chips and jars for cracks and discard (or retire any that are damaged to dry storage)… don’t can in damaged jars!
• Checks metal jar rings for extensive rust and dents, especially dents along the top area where the jar seals. Toss damaged rings (or use for crafts).
• Use new lids (unless you have reusable lids, to be covered in a future post- don’t reuse metal lids). Do not boil metal lids.
• Fill your water bath canner (any pot large enough to hold the jars with at least 1-2″ of boiling water) and place the clean, rinsed jars in the water as you bring it up to a boil (avoid temperature shocks that can break jars- hot jars go in a hot canner, cold jars in a cold canner… But this is a water bath recipe with hot jam, so keep your jars hot)

2. Prepare your carrot cake jam

• Wash the carrots and pears with running water (and your cutting board and knife with soap and water) before and after peeling – this is good practice and helps reduce the chance of introducing bacteria or dirt into your jam and jars, especially when working with root vegetables.
• Have all your ingredients laid out (and pre-measured if possible) before you start your jam. This way you don’t forget anything, or scorch your jam while rummaging through the cabinets for the allspice or a measuring spoon.
• Read through the directions before you start, and make sure you aren’t combining ingredients that are added at different times!
• Use a heavy bottomed stockpot or jam pot with plenty of room at the top so your jam doesn’t scorch or boil over.
• Don’t forget to stir regularly, and constantly after you add the sugar!

3. Can your jam

• Use jar tongs to carefully lift the hot jars from the water bath, tipping them sideways to pour out the water without spilling or burning yourself.
• Fill the jars with a jar funnel if you have one (and if you plan to do any amount of canning, they’re worth having… also handy for lots of other kitchen tasks, especially if you store bulk and dry goods and herbs in jars in your pantry as well).
• Make sure the jar rims are spotlessly clean before putting on the lids. I use a lint-free cloth or clean paper towel to wipe them with a mixture of hot water and distilled vinegar after filling and de-bubbling the jars.
• Process the jars in the canner for the required amount of time. Don’t start the timer until the pot is at a rolling boil, and leave the jars in the water bath for five minutes after you turn off the heat when the timer is up.
• Cool your jars in an area where they can remain undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check for seals after that, and immediately refrigerate any unsealed jars, or reprocess with new lids.