Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
This Carrot Cake Loaf recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting is a delicious way to enjoy the flavor of traditional carrot cake in an easy-to-make and serve loaf. This moist flavorful loaf is made half the fat of traditional loaves, and has fresh shredded carrots and cinnamon for added depth of flavor. The cream cheese frosting is creamy and sweet — the perfect finishing touch!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll This Recipe
- This Carrot Cake Loaf recipe is perfect for any occasion.
- It’s easy to make, requires minimal ingredients
- The resulting cake is moist and flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Versatile recipe. Bake with nuts or leave them out
- With its vibrant color, it looks great on a table or as an eye-catching dessert at a party.
Equipment Needed
You only need a few simple kitchen tools to help you make this easy recipe. Gather these tools and get ready to make this popular easter dessert recipe.
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- loaf pan – 8″ x 4″
- wire rack
- parchment paper
- hand mixer
Ingredients
you only need a few simple ingredients to help you make this delicious loaf cake recipe. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples but you can easily find them all at your local grocery store if you happen to be out of something.
Carrot Cake Loaf
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, baking soda
- eggs
- shredded carrots (shred using the small holes on the shredder)
- vegetable oil – or your favorite oil for baking
- unsweetened apple sauce
- packed brown sugar
- vanilla
- chopped nuts: walnut or pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Glaze
- cream cheese – I used full fat. Reduced fat can be used.
- butter
- confectioners sugar – for a lower carb option you can use a sugar free confectioners sweetener like Swerve.
- vanilla extract
- milk
How to Make This Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
Making this delicious carrot cake pound cake is so simple, just follow the step-by-step directions and you will have tender yet flavorful cake ready to be enjoyed in just an hour.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and line a loaf pan with parchment paper
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8″ x 4″ loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease the pan (including half way up the sides of the pan)
Step 2: Mix together the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Step 3: Stir together the wet ingredients
In a separate medium size mixing bowl add eggs, vegetable oil, apple sauce, brown sugar, and vanilla. Combine the ingredients.
Step 4: Add together the wet and dry ingredients
4. Add the wet ingredients to the center of the flour mixture with the shredded carrots. Gently combine all ingredients (don’t over mix. You want some lumps). Fold in chopped nuts if using.
Step 5: Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool
6. Cool for 10 minutes before releasing the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack.
Step 7: Make the frosting
In a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar.
Step 8: Add milk to get the correct texture
Add milk to reach desired consistency.
Step 9: Spread the frosting on the cake
Spread or pour the frosting onto the cooled cake and allow it harden before cutting. Add additional chopped nuts is using.
What To Serve With This Dish
This delicious sweet treat is the perfect way to end Easter when it’s made of a ham with a delicious ham glaze, and a side of these Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.
Substitutions and Additions
- If you don’t have applesauce on hand you can add another egg instead, however the applesauce really adds such a moisture texture to this cake that I recommend using it. Applesauce also lowers the fat in this loaf.
- If you’d like to add more flavor to the cake you can add a teaspoon of ground ginger and a teaspoon of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients.
- You could also switch out the delicious cream cheese frosting for a vanilla glaze or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
- If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, canola oil would work just as well.
- Instead of nuts, you could fold in 1/2 cup raisins into the batter if you are a raisin fan.
- A tablespoon of orange zest added to the batter will all a nice pop of flavor.
How To Store
This recipe will last for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Sandra’s Pro Tips
Here are a few tips to make sure that this recipe turns out perfectly for you every time that you make it.
- Don’t overmix the batter. You don’t want to incorporate too much air into it which can cause the cake to become dense.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding any frosting or glaze on top so that it doesn’t melt.
- If you want a bit more crunch, sprinkle some chopped nuts on top before serving. I also add nuts to let those know that might be allergic to nuts that there are some in the loaf.
- To lower the carbs use golden monk fruit in the batter, and sugar free confectioners sugar for the frosting.
- I like to use grated carrots, that I grate myself but you could also use pre-shredded carrots if you are in an hurry.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this moist carrot cake loaf recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this moist cake recipe.
No, a loaf cake is not necessarily a pound cake. However, they are usually pretty similar.
The best way to tell if your loaf is cooked through is to stick a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, then the cake is done baking.
Yes, you can use any type of cup for cup gluten-free flour to make this recipe.
Other Delicious Recipes You May Enjoy
- Coconut Banana Bread – a tropical twist to a traditional bread recipe.
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips – made with ripe bananas and whole wheat flour.
- Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread – lower carb with all the flavor, but not all the sugar.
- Strawberry Bread – with a light glaze on top. I like to make mini loaves with this recipe.
- Zucchini Lemon Bread – tasty addition of citrus. This is great way to use your garden fresh zucchini.
- Persimmon Bread – This is a seasonal quick bread recipe, but if you’re like me and save the pulp you can enjoy this bread all year long.
Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Loaf
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cup lightly packed finely shredded carrots
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped nuts: walnut or pecans optional, reserve 1/4 cup to top loaf
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounce cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 1-3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk or more for a thin glaze
Instructions
Carrot Cake Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease the pan (including half way up the sides of the pan).
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture
- In a separate medium size mixing bowl add eggs, vegetable oil, apple sauce, brown sugar, and vanilla. Combine the ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the center of the flour mixture with the shredded carrots. Gently combine all ingredients (don't overmix. You want some lumps). Fold in chopped nuts.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before releasing the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack.
Cream cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
- Gradually add confectioners sugar.
- Add milk to reach desired consistency.
Assemble
- Pour prepared frosting over the top of the cooled loaf.
- Top with additional chopped nuts if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
