Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
An incredibly moist and easy-to-make carrot cake loaf slathered in cream cheese frosting. Flavored with brown sugar, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla, and plenty of freshly grated carrots, this carrot cake quick bread will quickly become the go-to dessert in your home!
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 338kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (185g) weighed with a kitchen scale or spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract not vanilla flavoring
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated carrots packed
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract not vanilla flavoring
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, spray with baking spray and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil and sugars until combined and smooth. Beat in the eggs into the sugar and oil one at a time until completely mixed in. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined or no longer visible.
- Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the oil mixture and combine with a silicone spatula until no more dry flour is visible. Fold the carrots into the batter with the spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out into an even layer. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely by carefully lifting it out of the pan with the parchment paper handles.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl with a handheld mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the frosting onto the completely cooled cake and use an icing spatula to smooth the frosting out over the top of the cake. Top with ¼ cup of chopped pecans if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend lining the bottom of the pan lengthwise with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edges to help lift the cake out of the pan.
- Be sure and measure your flour correctly by spooning flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Do not dip your measuring cup into the bag or container of flour.
- Be sure your baking powder and baking soda are no more than six months old. Old leavening agents can result in a dense cake.
- Use freshly grated carrots. Pre-shredded carrots have lost most of their moisture and will cause your cake to be on the drier side. You can use a box grater to shred your carrots or to save time you can shred them in a food processor with the grater attachment.
- Leftover carrot cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes well and will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.2g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 22.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.6g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17.9g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg