Easiest Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe

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This carrot cake loaf is moist with plump golden raisins and has a nutty crunch from the pecans scattered throughout. Cinnamon and ginger enhance the flavours and the carrots give an earthiness and sweetness to the loaf. It’s topped with a traditional cream cheese icing which turns this loaf into that carrot cake that you know and love.

Moist and light carrot cake, baked into a loaf and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time: 15minutes 

Cook Time: 45minutes

Total Time: 1hour 

Yield: 14 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot Cake:

  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated, well packed
  • 1 cup walnuts, or pecans, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup all purpose flour, spooned and levelled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups icing/confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  3. Line a 4 1/2 x 10-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. *I like to just line the bottom and long sides with one sheet of parchment, overhanging the sides by an inch or so, to use as handles to lift it out of the pan later.
  4. In a large bowl with an electric beater or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the white sugar and oil. Add the shredded carrots and mix in. Add the eggs and beat in. Add the nuts and stir to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
  5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. *A lot of factors can affect baking time. Every oven is different and the type of baking pan you use can also affect the baking time. You loaf might take longer. As such, you must test the loaf with a long skewer or tester (so it reaches into the very centre of the loaf) before taking it out of the oven. It should come out clean. If in doubt, leave it in the oven a bit longer.
  7. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. To make frosting: Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the icing sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth.

NOTES:

This batter can also be used to make an 8-inch round cake or some muffins. Double the recipe (cake and frosting) to make a 9×13-inch sheet cake or an 8-inch round layer cake, with two layers.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 319kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 157mg, Potassium: 149mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 2491IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg

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