This super easy carrot jam with carrot cake spices is one of my favourites. Based on the Middle Eastern carrot jam those comforting cake spices give it a whole new taste!
Who doesn’t like carrot cake, I love it. All those spices and aromatics go perfectly with the sweetness of carrots, so why not make carrot cake jam.
This simple recipe ticks all the boxes for a sweet treat for toast, scones, oatcakes or with your cheese board of an evening.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Carrot cake
Basically I broke down the ingredients I use in my own carrot cake and incorporated them in this carrot cake jam.
Okay so I had to leave off that gorgeous cream cheese frosting, but hey you can’t have everything in life can you.
Ingredients for carrot cake jam
I have used a mixture of jam sugar and also brown sugar. The brown sugar brings a depth and caramel like flavour to your carrot cake jam.
There is also carrots (onbviously!), orange juice and zest plus lemon juice and zest. Oh and walnuts too, just to finish things off.
Spices in this carrot jam
I’ve used a combination of vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice for this carrot cake jam recipe.
Basically it’s the same spices I’d use when I am making a carrot cake at home.
What is Mixed Spice blend?
Mixed spice is a blend of ground spices we buy here in the UK for use in baking and cooking. It is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, coriander, cloves, nutmeg and pimento. A bit like American Pumpkin Pie spice blend or Apple Pie mix.
How to make carrot cake jam
Making this simple carrot jam recipe is super easy.
All you have to do is peel the carrots and remove the zest from both the oranges and lemons and squeeze out the juice.
Chop the carrots and cook them in the citrus juice till they are lovely and tender then blitz with a hand blender/stick blender.
Now add the sugar to the pan along with the citrus zest and the spices and gently heat till the sugar has dissolved completely.
Now ramp up that heat to a boil and boil your carrot jam till it reaches the magic setting point then leave the jam for a few minutes before stirring in the chopped walnuts so that they are suspended in your carrot jam for best effect and carefully ladle your lovely spiced carrot jam into sterilised jars and pop on the lids.
- All you need to do is peel those carrots
- zest and juice the oranges and lemon
- cook the carrots in the juice till tender
- blitz in a blender then return to the pan with the zest, sugar and spices
- once the sugar has all dissolved raise the heat to a boil and cook till you’ve reached the setting point.
- Stir in the walnuts so they are suspended in the jam before spooning into sterilised jars.
The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How much carrot jam does this make?
This recipe will make 4 small (200ml) jars of spiced carrot jam.
How long will this jam last
Your carrot cake jam will keep for up to a year in a cool dark cupboard. Once opened store in the fridge and use within a month.
Please Note – We do not usually do water bath or other canning methods here in the UK. Our preserves keep perfectly well without this.
By the way this recipe is from my eBook Gourmet Gifts For Christmas.
So move over Roger Rabbit we’re after the carrots this year!
This recipe makes a great foodie gift, so why not check out my post on how to make Christmas hampers.
Looking for more creative ideas for carrots? Then check these out before you go;
Quick and easy pickled carrots
Super healthy carrot, turmeric and ginger smoothie
Middle Eastern Carrot and Pistachio Jam
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Super easy carrot jam with carrot cake spices
Ingredients
- 800 g carrots
- 2 oranges juice and zest
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 300 g jam sugar
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Peel and chop the carrots
- zest and juice the lemon and oranges
- Cook the carrots in the fruit juices till tender
- Blitz in blender then return to the pan and add the sugars and spices
- Once sugar has completely dissolved raise heat to boil and cook till setting point
- Stir in the walnuts then ladle into sterilised jars
I couldn’t get my jam to fully set. It only went up to about 90
Hi Mammy
You have to get jam up to 105 degrees for the setting point. 90 degrees is not hot enough.
K
What are the mixed spices you use?
Hi Rae
Mixed spice is like American Pumpkin pie spice mix. Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg etc.
K