This Carrot Ring is a Rosh Hashanah tradition made from my Mother's recipe and baked in a small bundt pan similar to my Sweet Noodle Kugel. It's lightly sweet with brown sugar and fresh lemon, which keeps this recipe from becoming overly rich and heavy.
Carrot Ring At A Glance
- 🕐 Total Time: 50 minutes (15 min prep + 35 min cook)
- 🍽️ Servings: 12
- 🍅 Cuisine Type: Jewish holiday, Mediterranean-inspired
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Lightly sweet with brown sugar, brightened by fresh lemon juice and zest, tender and light rather than dense or oily
- 🥛 Dietary Info: Contains dairy (butter), egg, gluten (flour), can be adapted gluten-free with a 1:1 GF flour blend or dairy-free with a neutral oil
- 📦 Storage Notes: Make a day ahead and refrigerate; freezes well for up to 2 months
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A Rosh Hashanah tradition that's light and lemon-bright instead of the dense, oily carrot ring you'll find in most versions
Save And Summarize This Recipe
Carrots are typical at a Rosh Hashanah table because the Yiddish word "mern" means both "carrot" and "to increase," which is a wish for a year of increased blessings. My Mother never explained it that way, but she also never skipped serving this carrot ring either.
This carrot ring resembles my Carrot Kugel that I make for Passover. Both are built on a similar sweet, tender carrot base but baked in different pans and topped differently. I tend to serve it with my Cottage Cheese Kugel for a holiday table with a mix of textures. The bundt pan shape gives this recipe a polished presentation for a holiday table.
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If you are looking for another way to serve carrots at the holiday table, my Roasted Carrots take them savory instead of sweet. My Vegetable Kugel is a nice contrast and pairs with the sweet carrot ring. If you are torn between side-dishes, try either the Sweet Potato Casserole or Potato Kugel.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this carrot ring recipe:
- Grated Carrots - Grate the carrots yourself rather than buying pre-grated. I tested both, and the pre-grated bag version came out drier since the carrots had already lost moisture sitting in the package. Freshly grated carrots keep more moisture in the batter, which is what keeps this from turning dry. I hit a similar moisture question grating zucchini for these zucchini muffins, just in the opposite direction where you squeeze the liquid out; here, you want to keep it in.
- Lemon Juice and Zest - Both the juice and the zest go in. The zest is where most of the bright, citrusy flavor lives; the juice alone reads more sour than bright. Skipping the zest is the most common reason a carrot ring like this tastes flat.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Warm Spices - A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg adds cozy holiday flavor without overpowering the lemon.
- Chopped Nuts - Walnuts or pecans bring crunch and richness along with crunch.
- Raisins - A classic addition that complements the carrots and brown sugar.
- Butter - You can replace the butter with any neutral oil like avocado oil, which will make this dairy-free and pareve.
- Zest and Juice - Orange zest and orange juice make a nice substitution.
- Brown sugar - You can replace the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup if you would prefer a more natural sugar.
How To Make A Carrot Ring: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a small bundt pan. In a food processor, grate the carrots and set them aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar, making sure they are fully combined.
Step 3: Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Combine. Add the flour slowly making sure not to over mix the batter. Fold in the carrots.
Step 4: Add the mixture to the bundt pan and bake for at least 35 minutes or until the cake springs back to the touch.
Recipe Tips
- Use a small bundt pan. One that holds 6 cups or less works well. Make sure you grease the pan well. I like using Baker's Joy, which has some flour mixed in, to grease the pan. The kugel will pop out easily.
- This carrot ring is make-ahead friendly. I have made this the day before, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated it for family.
Gwen's Pro Tip
Don't overmix this batter! This will make the carrot ring dry.
Carrot Ring FAQ's
Yes. Let the carrot ring cool all the way. Wrap it tightly and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Allow the carrot ring to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then gently reheat in the oven at a low temperature.
A carrot ring is often served as a side dish during the Jewish high holidays. Traditionally, peas are spooned into the center of the ring, but it also pairs beautifully with roasted meats or other holiday kugels.
As written, it's dairy because of the butter. Swap in a neutral oil like avocado oil and it becomes pareve, so it can be served alongside a meat meal.
Other Delicious Jewish Holiday Side Dishes
Let me know your thoughts on this Carrot Ring by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Carrot Ring With Brown Sugar And Lemon (Rosh Hashanah)
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups carrots grated, about 3 large carrots
- ¼ lb butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- ½ lemon zested
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a small bundt pan.
- Using a food processor fitted with a grating disk, grate the carrots and set aside.1 ½ cups carrots
- In a large bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter making sure they are fully combined.¼ lb butter, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Add the egg to the butter mixture and combine.1 large egg
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Combine.1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 2 tbsps lemon juice, ½ lemon, 1 pinch kosher salt
- Slowly add the flour to the mixture without over mixing (which dries out the batter).1 ¼ cup flour
- Fold in the carrots.
- Place the mixture into the bundt pan. Bake at 350℉ until the top springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. About 35 minutes.
Ellen says
can this be made Tuesday for Thursday without freezing??
Gwen Wolken says
I think that would be just fine. Warm it in a low oven, covered, until warm before serving.
Gwen Wolken says
A family favorite!