I did try this recipe. I would suggest cutting ground cloves by 1/4 tsp & I ran hot fruit mixture through the blender on puree in 3 small batches before adding pectin. I think it would make a great spread on pumpkin bread or a glaze on baked ham. I was talking with my aunt and a couple friends prior to making, and they all said to leave out pecans- maybe add after the fact when a jar is opened, so I did. The jam leans slightly toward the pineapple taste & I believe the pecans might bring it closer the 'carrot cake' taste. Next time I will toast & grind pecans and add them to the hot jam mixture just before I ladle into jars. The jam is very sweet, looks & spreads nicely.I will put it out with sourcream pumpkin bread dusted with powder sugar at Thanksgiving & see what kind of response it gets. ~Rashell Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb

Norma, I went to a few other recipe sites and someone had the Just Desserts cookbook. Here is the recipe: SWEET BABY CARROT CAKE Cake 2 c. self-rising flour 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 2 (4 oz.) jars strained baby carrot food 4 eggs 2 c. sugar 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil Frosting 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 (16 oz.) box powdered sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325*. Grease & flour three (3) 8" or 9" cake pans. Mix all cake ingredients together & blend with a hand-held mixer. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Invert onto lint-free dishcloth, or waxed paper and allow to cool completely. For frosting, mix all ingredients with a hand-held mixer & blend until smooth and creamy. Frost layers, top, and sides of cooled cake. Serves 16.

Another who grates the carrots....and even at the risk of over exposure, I'll post my carrot cake again....well not really MY recipe...came from Julie Trussler's cook book. and I will repeat what the others have said....be very very sure the cake is done. I think the cake needs all the moisture form the carrots. anyhow...here's the recipe....always a keeper. Carrot cake Julie TÂs 3 eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup buttermilk 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 tsps cinnamon 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup raisins chopped with 1 Tablespoon of flour Buttermilk glaze 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter 1 Tblsp light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 cup softened butter 4 oz softened cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp orange juice 1 tsp grated orange rind Preheat oven to 350 With a mixer Beat eggs, add oil and buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. beat to combine. Stir together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir into batter. stir in pineapple, carrots and raisins. Pour into a greased 8 by 13 pan or 2 greased round 9 inch cake pans. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until set in the middle. Remove from the oven and immediatly spread with the buttermilk glaze. Cool completely and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Buttermilk glaze: In a medium sauce pan ( don't use a small pan) combine all ingredients but vanilla. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes stirring often...it will bubble a lot. It should be a light caramel color, stir in vanilla and pour over the cake Cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light add vanilla powd. sugar and juice and rind...beat until smooth and frost the cooled cake.

I made Linda's frosting yesterday for carrot cake. Yum. Even Alice, who claims not to like cream cheese frosting, said "that's good stuff." I made the carrot cake recipe from Jame's Beard's American Cookery. (I'll post it with my comments if anyone wants it.) It has some orange zest in it so it paired well with the frosting. I added two pods of cardamom crushed, extra cinnamon and brandy plumped raisins to the recipe. Orange and cardamom work well together.