Years ago I loved being invited for dinner at the home of the late journalist Robert Saint John and his wife, Ruth, who curated salon-like events in their cozy house outside Washington, D.C., where journalists, Israeli diplomats, and government officials discussed politics as insiders. No matter what else was on the menu, the Saint Johns always served a flavorful, cakelike carrot ring. I asked for the recipe, but Ruth would never give it to me; the secret of this dish died with her.
Carrot Ring
June 08, 2021
Ingredients
- 2cups all-purpose flour
- 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or coconut oil, room temperature
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ¾teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon ground allspice
- 1cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 4large eggs
- 2cups (packed) coarsely grated peeled carrots
- 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1tablespoon grated lemon peel
Yield: At least 10 portions
Preparation
Adapted from Lynn Blitzer
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease with some of the butter or coconut oil and flour a 12-cup ring mold or Bundt pan.
- Step 2
Sift the remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.
- Step 3
Using a stand mixer at low speed, beat the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and butter or coconut oil together until well blended. Next, beat in the eggs until fully incorporated and then add the sifted dry ingredients, again beating until blended. Lastly, stir in the carrots, the lemon juice, and the grated lemon peel. Transfer the batter to the ring mold.
- Step 4
Bake the carrot ring for approximately 40 minutes. You will know it is done if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the ring from the oven and set on a rack to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Step 5
Serve warm, ideally with its center filled with cooked green vegetables, such as peas, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts.