This super moist carrot cake loaf is both easy and delicious, generously topped with a generous layer of tangy cream cheese frosting. This delicious loaf cake is perfect to enjoy any time of day or any time of year.

Carrot cake loaf with cream cheese frosting sliced on a cooling rack.

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.

I scaled back my favourite recipe to make a smaller carrot cake loaf. 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 a good thing in my books :)

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Vegetable oil – I always make this loaf with vegetable oil, and I do recommend it, as years of making this loaf have proven it works perfectly. Other oils, such as canola oil or sunflower may work, though I haven’t tested them myself. I don’t recommend olive oil as it will introduce a flavour to the loaf.

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 performs 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, 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 it 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. Needless to say, full-fat cream cheese will produce the nicest cream cheese frosting.

How to make carrot cake loaf: step-by-step

This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.

Loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
1

Step 1: Start by lining a 9×5-inch or 4 1/2×10-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. If you have clips, it helps to keep the parchment out of the way.

Dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk.
2

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk them together well. Set aside.

Oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3

Step 3: Add the sugar and oil to the bowl and cream together for 1 minute.

Shredded carrot added to the batter.
4

Step 4: Add the shredded carrot to the bowl and mix it in.

Eggs added to the batter.
5

Step 5: Add the eggs to the batter and beat in.

Nuts added to the batter.
6

Step 6: Add the nuts to the batter and mix together well.

Adding the flour mixture to the batter.
7

Step 7: Add the flour mixture to the batter and stir in until there is no visible flour.

Finished carrot cake loaf batter in the mixing bowl.
8

Step 8: The finished batter will be quite loose.

Batter added to the parchment-lined loaf pan.
9

Step 9: Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake.

Baked carrot cake loaf in the loaf pan.
10

Step 10: The baked cake will be relatively flat (not domed) and may settle a small bit in the very centre as it cools.

Cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl after beating.
11

Step 11: Once the cake is completely cooled, mix together the cream cheese frosting until smooth and fluffy.

Spreading the cream cheese frosting on the cooled carrot cake loaf.
12

Step 12: Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake. (I find it easiest to return the cooled cake to the loaf pan to frost, and then I store the cake in the pan in the refrigerator after frosting.)

Recipe Video

Recipe tips!

  • 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.
  • Be sure your cake is absolutely and perfectly cooled before attempting to frost it. Even the slightest bit of warmth left in the cake will soften/melt the frosting.
  • To get the “lines” in the frosting, after spreading the frosting on the cake, use the tip of an offset spatula to run lines down the length of the loaf.
Carrot cake loaf with cream cheese frosting sliced on a cooling rack.

Storing and freezing

Cakes with cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated within 2 hours of frosting and should continue to be stored in the refrigerator. This cake will keep well for 4-5 days in the fridge.

I like to store this loaf cake in the loaf pan I baked it in, as it is easy to cover the top with plastic wrap, without disturbing the frosting.

You can remove slices to a plate and let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours before serving, if you prefer carrot cake at room temperature.

Carrot cake loaf can be frozen, even when frosted, though the texture of the cream cheese frosting may change slightly from the freeze/thaw process.

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Carrot cake loaf with cream cheese frosting sliced.

Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist and light carrot cake, baked into a loaf and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.
4.98 stars from 72 ratings
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 14 servings

Ingredients

Carrot Cake:

  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, *see Note 1 below
  • 1 1/2 cups (170 g ) shredded carrot, well packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (100 g) walnuts, or pecans, finely chopped (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (195 g) icing/confectioners’ sugar

Instructions
 

  • Spray a 9×5-inch or 4 x 10-inch metal loaf pan with cooking spray and then line the bottom and two long sides with a sheet of parchment paper, allowing the parchment to extend the sides of the pan by a couple of inches, to use as handles to lift the loaf out after baking. (If you have metal file clips, you can clip the sides to keep the parchment in place. This is especially helpful when pouring the batter into the pan, as it keeps the sides of the parchment from getting in the way.)
  • Preheat oven to 350F. (regular bake setting/not fan-assisted) (Reduce to 325F if you are using a glass loaf pan.)
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and Pinch salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl with an electric beater or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the 1 cup white granulated sugar and 1/2 cup vegetable oil (*see Note 1 below) for about 1 minute. Add the 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (well packed) and mix in. Add the 2 large eggs and beat them in. Add the 1 cup walnuts (or pecans, finely chopped (optional)) and stir to combine. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until well combined, with no visible flour. The batter will be quite loose.
  • Pour the batter into prepared baking pan.
    • A lot of factors can affect baking time. Every oven is different, and the weight and colour of the baking pan you use can also affect the baking time. Your loaf might take a shorter or longer time to bake through. 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.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. (Expect the baked loaf to have quite a flat top, which may deflate a tiny bit in the centre as it cools.)
  • Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper "handles" and remove it to a cooling rack to cool. When the cake has cooled a bit, gently remove and discard the parchment paper and let the loaf continue to cool completely on the wire rack.
    • It is important that the loaf be completely cooled before frosting. Even the slightest bit of warmth will melt the frosting. Once the loaf is completely cooled, I like to return the loaf to the loaf pan for frosting and storage.
  • To make frosting: Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat until fluffy and smooth. Spread onto the top of the carrot cake loaf and swirl or use the tip of an offset spatula to run lines down the length of the loaf (as shown in the photos).
  • Once frosted, the loaf must be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep well for up to 4 days. The frosted carrot cake loaf can also be frozen, though the cream cheese frosting may change slightly in texture from the freeze/thaw process.

Notes

Note 1: Vegetable oil is recommended for this recipe, as it tends to perform the best. Other neutral-flavoured oils could be used, though I haven’t tested other oils in this loaf. Olive oil isn’t recommended as it will introduce flavour to the loaf.
Be sure to read the notes above the Recipe Card, where I share some valuable tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe! You’ll also find step-by-step photos and a recipe video that you might find helpful.

Watch how to make it

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