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Carrot Cake Loaf

Carrot Cake Loaf

Carrot cake loaf is the easy-breezy version of fancy layered carrot cakes, but don't let that fool you; it's still bursting with all the flavorful delights you could ever want!
4.37 from 11 votes
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Course: Cake
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Carrot Cake Loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
2 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Brenda Maher

Ingredients

Cake Loaf

  • 1 cup spooned, leveled all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅓ cup oil (vegetable, melted coconut, or canola)
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup unsweetened yogurt or applesauce (room temperature)
  • ⅔ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
  • optional ½ cup chopped walnuts or raisins, pecans, pecans, dried cranberries

(Optional) Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 ⅔ ounces softened brick cream cheese
  • 1 ⅓ tablespoons softened, unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • a little salt

Instructions

Cake Loaf:

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 8 x 4 loaf pan.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a second bowl, mix oil, applesauce, brown sugar, carrots, and vanilla. Pour the second bowl over the first and whisk gently until just blended. Add nuts or other extras if desired.
  • Spread batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes. After 25 minutes, cover the cake with foil to prevent overbrowning. It's done when a small toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.
  • Let your cake cool completely before frosting.

Optional Frosting:

  • Using a mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment, whip cream cheese at medium-high speed until smooth.
  • Add butter and mix until combined.
  • Add confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, mixing at low speed until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Spread the frosting on your cooled cake.

Notes

  1. To make muffins or mini loaves, grease the pan and fill the cups with batter, then bake at 350°F (177°C), adjusting baking time based on pan size.
  2. Carrot cake loaf tastes even better the next day as flavors settle, making it twice as moist. Without frosting, store covered at room temp for 4 days or refrigerate for a week in humid climates.
  3. For a frosted cake, cover it and chill it in the fridge for a week, then let it return to room temp before serving. Cold carrot cake slices straight from the refrigerator are heaven, by the way! 
  4. Optionally, cut into the middle of the cake batter before baking to prevent over-puffing or doming. It also ensures more even baking throughout the loaf.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.8g | Fat: 10.9g | Saturated Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 10.7g | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @cakegirls or tag #cakegirls!