This super moist carrot cake loaf is both easy and delicious, generously topped with cream cheese frosting. A wonderful treat to enjoy any time of day or any time of year.
When it comes to my favourite cakes, Carrot Cake is right up there! And when it comes to my favourite carrot cake recipe, this is it. This is the one my Mom always made and all these years later, it’s still the one I make.
My Mom always made this cake as a 9×13-inch sheet cake. Somewhere along the way, given my lack of restraint around it, I scaled back the recipe to make a smaller cake in loaf form. It satisfies the craving, without having too much sitting around to tempt me.
I have come to love the loaf shaped carrot cake. Even though it’s a loaf, served thickly sliced, it’s still a plate and fork kind of cake. The taller loaf also allows me to use a generous amount of cream cheese frosting, which is always desirable in my books :)
Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes
Vegetable oil – I always make this loaf with vegetable oil and I do recommend it, as years of making this loaf has proven it works perfectly. Other oils, such as canola oil or Sunflower may work, though I haven’t tested them myself. Olive oil wouldn’t be recommended as it will introduce a flavour to the loaf. Finally, butter, either room temperature or melted, may possibly work, but I have not tested it and I would expect that it would change the texture and shelf-life of this loaf.
I know that we tend to think of cooking oil as generally interchangeable, but the type of oil used can make a different in baking recipes like this one. For guaranteed success, use the recommended oil.
Carrots – Of course, it wouldn’t be a carrot cake without carrots :) While any carrot will do, I do like to pick up some fresh, organic carrots if I can, for best flavour.
White sugar – sugar in baking recipes perform more of a role than just sweetening. It contributes both to the texture and moistness of the finished loaf. While it may be possible to reduce the sugar successfully, it generally comes at some cost to the quality of the finished loaf. I always recommend using the specified amount of sugar first, and then, if desired, slightly reduce in subsequent bakes, until you find the sweet spot for you.
Walnuts – Nuts are optional in this cake, but do offer some nice flavour and texture to the loaf. I generally use walnuts, but pecans would work nicely as well.
If you don’t want to use nuts, but the idea of raisins or coconut appeals to you, you could add 1 cup of either, in place of the nuts.
Cream cheese – You can use either full-fat or fat-reduced cream cheese here, though you may find you need less confectioners’ sugar with the reduced fat cream cheese, so keep that in mind when mixing the icing.
You will also need – All-purpose flour, eggs (2), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, butter (for the frosting), vanilla and icing/confectioners’ sugar.
Cook’s Notes
Lining the loaf pan with parchment paper is highly recommended. This is a tender loaf when warm and there really is nothing worse that having a loaf break when trying to get it out of the pan. Parchment paper removes that worry completely.
Be sure to measure your flour by using the stir, spoon and level method. That is 1) Stir your flour. 2) Spoon into a dry (usually metal) measuring cup, over-filling the cup then 3) use the back flat edge of a knife to level off the flour, even with the top of the measuring cup.
Do note that baking time is never exact, as ovens vary and different types and colours of baking pans can also affect baking time. Be sure to test the loaf with a long skewer. It should come out clean. It make take longer in your oven, so just bake it until it tests clean.
This cake stays fresh for days. It will also freeze well, even when frosted.
You can take this basic recipe to make a sheet cake or a two-layer cake by doubling the recipe.
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Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
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
- Preheat oven to 350F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- 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.
- Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make frosting: Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add the icing sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth.
Notes
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I made this recipe for my group at work on Sunday . I did one with nuts and raisins , and one without . They were delicious !! But he clients fell on them like a pack of wolves , and everyone was happy !!
So pleased you enjoyed it, Jeanine. Thanks so much!
This cake was absolutely delicious. I can’t eat nuts, so instead added 1/2 cup raisins lightly floured. The cake was moist and the icing was amazing. So easy and a real winner.
Thanks so much, Sally. So glad you enjoyed it!
I added about two tablespoons of crushed pineapple and about a tablespoon of shredded coconut, because my normal recipe has both. I may cut down on the nuts next time, but it came out perfect with no extra baking time.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much!
I have made this 2 times. LOVE LOVE it. It has become my go to recipe.
Love using Vietnamese cinnamon and maybe a little more grated carrots, that adds to the time to bake.
Does not last a day in my house!
So glad you are enjoying it, Nancy :) Thanks so much!
I love this recipe! It’s definitely a favorite in my home. If I do muffins how long do I cook them? Do I use the same temperature as well?
Hi Rachel and so glad you are enjoying it! As for muffins, I have never made this one as muffins, so I’m just guessing here, but generally muffins take 18-25 minutes. I would bump the temperature up to 375F. Just watch them closely and test when they look close to done. Thanks!
Not completely sure what I did wrong on this recipe- seems to be foolproof for most but unfortunately I made a double batch and the middles of the loaves collapsed. Wondering what you think could have caused this? Cake still tasted great but the looks left something to be desired 😂
Hi Ashton, there are a number of reasons quick breads collapse. Over-mixing is one, old baking powder or baking soda is another. Over-filling the pan can also be an issue (if was baked in too small a pan) and finally, under-baking.
Altitude will also affect the outcome!! If you are baking in the mountains, increase the temp by 25 degrees and go slightly under on the leavening agents.
Mine also collapsed in the middle. When I initially took the loaf out it was even but not baked through so I put it back in for another ten minutes then it had collapsed. Any tips?
Hi Elizabeth, It sounds like it was just underbaked. You would want to test it while still in the oven and leave it in the oven until the tester comes out clean when inserted right into the centre of the loaf.
Thanks so much. I will do that the next time. The loaf was delicious BTW.