Toast Topper #53: Lower-Sugar Carrot Cake Jam - the last #SundaySupper of the year!

I'm a bona fide lover of carrot cake anything - not only do I have many, many versions of root-laced cakes on this blog, but I've also posted a couple cookies, a doughnut, a fruit butter and even a granola
with the flavours of the dessert. Heck, I've even bought tea with a "carrot cake" label. But I'd never tried a jam with the elements of carrot cake, although there are a myriad of recipes online and in cookbooks. One of the sticking points for me with those recipes was the grotesque amount of sugar and relatively little inclusion of carrot in the mixture - the one I have (clipped from a magazine ages ago) called for 7 cups of the white stuff, with only a cup of shredded carrots. For me, part of the deliciousness of carrot cake is the earthy sweetness of the vegetable itself, and I kept avoiding a low-sugar test run with my precious heirloom carrots.

Then, right as a glut of the aforementioned carrots came in from the garden, I actually found a recipe using a "low-sugar" style of pectin and had my starting point to play with. Since I had Pomona's Pectin on hand, I was able to play with the sugars a bit more, using part brown sugar and a dash of stevia along with the regular granulated. My classic combination of carrot cake spices followed, along with the naturally sweet grated carrots and local apples. The result was fantastic - sweet, without tasting of pure sugar, packed with fruit and vegetables and ready to smear onto waffles or toasted cinnamon bread at breakfast. It was definitely worth waiting (many) years to try it, and if next year's crop is as generous this recipe will be on rotation more often than not!

This week's #SundaySupper is focused on sharing recipes for foods we've been craving all year long. I'm always craving carrot cake and love making jam, so this was a natural for me - not to mention it pairs so well with other cravings (crepes, almond butter sandwiches) I couldn't resist! Here's what the rest of the gang have cooked up:

Comfort Food Cravings

• Beef Tenderloin Citrus Arugula Salad from Family Foodie
• Chunky Beef Chili from MealDiva
• Cowboy Candy and Cream Cheese from Rhubarb and Honey
• Creamy Veggie and Chip Dip from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Golabki (Polish Cabbage Rolls) from Healthy. Delicious.
• Jalapeno Poppers Wrapped in Bacon from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Lightened and Loaded Potato Soup from Momma’s Meals
• Prime Rib Roast from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Roasted Cashews & Walnuts with Honey and Herbs from Delaware Girl Eats
• Russian Black Bread from Curious Cuisiniere
• Sausage and Cheese Stromboli from Casa de Crews
• Steak and Eggs from Nosh My Way
• Steak Tartare from The Texan New Yorker
• Swiss Onion Bread from The Foodie Army Wife

Quench Your Thirst Cravings

• French 75 Cocktail from Ruffles & Truffles
• Sparkling Peach Cocktail from Magnolia Days

Seafood Cravings

• Crab Artichoke Bread from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Mussels in Coconut Broth with Garlic Toasts from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Seafood Scampi from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Cravings

• Apple Bundt Cake from Pancake Warriors
• Dark Chocolate Potato Chip Fudge from Nik Snacks
• Dulce de Leche Rice Krispy Treats from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Hot Chocolate Milky Way Brownie Pie from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Lower-Sugar Carrot Cake Jam from What Smells So Good?
• Maple Syrup Creme Brule from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Mint Infused Deep Dish Brownies from The Perfect Brownie
• Paleo Pound Cake from NinjaBaker
• Pizzelle from Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Sweet Potato Sheet Cake from Pies and Plots

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Lower-Sugar Carrot Cake Jam
Adapted from Little Farm in the Big City
Makes 3 ½ cups, 28 (2 tbsp) servings
1 ½ (packed) cups finely grated carrots
1 ½ cups peeled and diced apples
1 ¾ cups crushed canned pineapple, including juice
3 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup water
2 tsp calcium water (from Pomona's pectin)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp cardamom
½ tsp liquid stevia (I just found coconut and cinnamon flavoured stevia, which would be awesome!)
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp Pomona's pectin
1 ½ cups sugar

1. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine carrots, apples, pineapple, lemon juice, water, calcium water, spices, stevia and brown sugar.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine pectin and granulated sugar and whisk into the carrot mixture until dissolved.
5. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently.
6. Remove from heat, ladle into jars and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 85.4
Total Fat: 0.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 7.2 mg
Total Carbs: 25.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 0.2 g