Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe

Side view of some sliced carrot cake bread.

5 from 3 votes

This Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe is moist and delicious, and should be on your Easter table! Full of carrots and topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, this carrot cake loaf will make your guests swoon!

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake, easy carrot cake loaf recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 364kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the carrot cake loaves:

1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour - or 360 grams
1 ½ cups brown sugar - or 330 grams
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 ½ cups grated carrots - or finely chopped

For the cream cheese frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese - softened to room temp
1/4 cup unsalted butter - softened to room temp
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar - or 180 grams

Instructions

For the carrot cake loaves:

Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients – the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Combine well.
3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Mix the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla.
1 cup canola oil, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir with a spoon until just combined.
Shred carrots. Use a shredder or a sharp knife to shred/cut the peeled carrots into very small pieces. I used a knife and cut them VERY small.
Add carrots to batter. Combine the carrots into the carrot cake batter, and stir until mixed in.
2 ½ cups grated carrots
Pour batter into loaf pans. Spray two loaf pans and pour the batter evenly into both pans, smoothing it to all sides.
Bake. Bake the carrot cake bread in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until just done in the center. Don’t over-bake! Let bread sit in pans for about 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack.

For the frosting:

Make cream cheese frosting. In a small mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the softened cream cheese and butter together until very creamy. Then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar and mix again until very well mixed, approximately one minute or so.
4 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Frost carrot cake loaves. Use a spoon to frost the cooled carrot cake loaves. I topped them with some shredded carrots, but that’s for presentation purposes only!

Notes

STORE. Store these loaves in airtight containers. They’ll be fine on your countertop for a couple of days, but if your house is warm, I recommend storing them in your refrigerator.

FREEZE. These carrot cake loaves freeze well, unfrosted, for up to three months. Wrap tightly in cling wrap and store in freezer bags.

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