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    Home » Recipes » Sweet Recipes

    Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Apr 4, 2019 | by Jennifer | Last Updated: Apr 4, 2022

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    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.

    Carrot Cake Loaf

    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 9x13-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 :)

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Video
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Cook's Notes
    • Recipe
    • Comments, Questions and Reviews

    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.

    Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

    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.

    Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Recipe

    carrot cake loaf with cream cheese frosting sliced

    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.
    Author: Jennifer
    5 stars from 46 ratings
    Print it Pin it + Collection Go to Collections Share by Email
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Servings 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
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 1 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    • Pinch salt

    Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 2 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
    • 1 tsp. vanilla
    • 1 1/2 cups icing/confectioners' sugar
    Prevent screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350F.
    • 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

    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 9x13-inch sheet cake or an 8-inch round layer cake, with two layers.
    Be sure to read the Ingredient and Cook's Notes above the Recipe Card, where I share some valuable tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!

    Nutrition

    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

    Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Canadian
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    Meet the Author:
    Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!

    I love to share the classic recipes that I have enjoyed for years, as well as newer discoveries, that have become fast favourites.
    More about me here ...


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gabe says

      June 20, 2021 at 12:10 am

      5 stars
      This is my first baking food I have done and it's really easy. Instead of the loaf shape, I use the muffin trays! I make this for my mother and she really likes it. The only thing I didn't like are grinding carrots because it hurts my hands. So I just tell my siblings to do it for me! (Hehe)
      Would recommend first timers trying this recipe, Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        June 20, 2021 at 3:20 pm

        So glad you all enjoyed it :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    2. SJ says

      June 14, 2021 at 6:03 am

      Should the baking time and temperature for an 8 inch round cake stay the same as mentioned?

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        June 14, 2021 at 9:10 am

        Hi SJ, No, the timing would be less for an 8-inch round - 25-35 minutes.

        Reply
        • SJ says

          June 14, 2021 at 1:42 pm

          Thank you for responding!

          Reply
          • Jennifer says

            June 14, 2021 at 3:04 pm

            No problem. Enjoy :)

            Reply
    3. Yi says

      May 21, 2021 at 8:43 am

      Thank you for the recipe! Do you know how much does the grated carrots weigh as I don’t have measuring cups..tried to look online and the values seem to vary from 50-110g per cup

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 21, 2021 at 9:08 am

        Hi Yi and no, sorry, I don't right now (will weigh it the next time I make this one :). The easiest way to do it for now is to fill a liquid measure cup up to about 375ml, well packed.

        Reply
    4. Retsuko says

      May 06, 2021 at 8:48 am

      5 stars
      I've made this several times. I've also doubled the recipe to make a cake. It's simple and delicious. My entire family loved it and request I make it more often.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 06, 2021 at 10:09 am

        So glad to hear :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    5. Sam says

      April 22, 2021 at 11:17 am

      Do you sift the flour baking soda and baking powder?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        April 23, 2021 at 8:21 pm

        Hi Sam, I don't, but you can't hurt it by doing so, if you want to.

        Reply
    6. Rands says

      March 28, 2021 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      First time baking carrot cake. Glad I chose your recipe! Used both walnuts and raisins. SUPERB. The family loved it. I will definitely be making this again!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        March 28, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        So glad to hear, Rands :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    7. Francoise says

      February 16, 2021 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      Delicious. I used 1/2 cup of coconut sugar and raisins instead of walnuts. It was perfect. No change in the outcome.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 16, 2021 at 9:42 am

        Glad you enjoyed it, Francoise. Thanks :)

        Reply
    8. Jas says

      February 09, 2021 at 8:13 pm

      5 stars
      Honestly I've made this recipe 12 times and each time my family finishes the loaf within a few days. The best part is how moist the cake stays for DAYS and DAYS. We have had it 5 days in an airtight container and it's as delicious as day 1. I replace half the sugar with stevia, and add a splash of vanilla and it's perfect. Best part is, all the ingredients are usually in the pantry.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 09, 2021 at 8:43 pm

        So glad you are enjoying it, Jas and good to know that 1/2 stevia works well :) Thanks!

        Reply
    9. ^.^ says

      February 01, 2021 at 12:51 pm

      Can you use butter or olive oil instead of veg oil?^

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 01, 2021 at 12:59 pm

        You can probably substitute an equal amount of either, thought the texture of the loaf will be different and in the case of olive oil, also the flavour.

        Reply
    10. Amy says

      January 13, 2021 at 6:43 am

      5 stars
      I made this recipe on Saturday and the carrot cake is still moist and delicious days later, will definitely be making this again!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        January 13, 2021 at 9:15 am

        So glad to hear, Amy :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
      • SJ says

        May 15, 2021 at 3:34 am

        Hi. Looking forward to trying this recipe. What would be the baking time if I'm making this in an 8 inch pan?

        Thank you.

        Reply
        • Jennifer says

          May 15, 2021 at 9:14 am

          Hi SJ, Are you talking about an 8-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch cake pan? If loaf pan, I'm not completely sure all the batter will fit into an 8-inch loaf pan. You may need to hold back a bit of the batter if it seems that it will be too full. I would expect baking time to be around the 50 minutes mark, but you would want to test it and bake until a tester comes out clean.

          Reply
    11. Kat Rodriguez says

      January 10, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      Hi Jennifer!
      I baked this last night and it was such a hit! So, so good! So much flavor in this loaf.
      I do have a question, when you say “mix” is that just a regular mix and not a beat with the mixer. Mine took a little longer to cook just want to make sure I’m following the recipe step by step.
      Thank you so much!
      Kat

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        January 11, 2021 at 9:27 am

        Hi Kat, actually the instructions don't say mix, but rather beat, with a mixer. If you mixed by hand, it may have made some difference to the batter, as there would be less air and it would be more dense and then may take longer to cook. That said, I rarely worry about extended baking time. Ovens differ. Pans differ. As long as it cooks through eventually, it's all good :)

        Reply
    12. Pravika says

      December 22, 2020 at 3:09 am

      5 stars
      One of the best cakes I ever had. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! My family loved it❤️

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        December 22, 2020 at 9:39 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Pravika! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
    13. Brian says

      November 29, 2020 at 10:47 pm

      1. Can the 1 cup of white sugar be reduced to 3/4 cup for less sweetness?
      2. Can you use 1/2 cup white and 1/2 cup light brown sugars?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 30, 2020 at 8:29 am

        Hi Brian, I suspect yes on both counts. Do keep in mind though, that anytime you vary from the recipe, the outcome can change.

        Reply
        • Brian says

          December 31, 2020 at 7:34 am

          Jennifer,
          It was delicious. I made 3 loaves for the holiday.
          I would like to try muffins with the same recipe. Do you know how many muffins the above recipe would make? 12? Would the temperature still be the same, but the baking time reduced by half? Thank you in advance for answering my questions. I really appreciate it.

          Reply
          • Jennifer says

            December 31, 2020 at 9:47 am

            Hi Brian, you should get about a dozen muffins from the batter. I would just fill up the the muffins cups about 2/3-ish and see how far that gets you. If you have some empty muffin cups, fill 1/2 full with water before baking (so the muffins bake evenly). You might want to raise the oven temperature 25F (so to 375F), as muffins like a hotter oven and rise better. Timing should be in the 20-25 minute range, depending on the muffins size. Just watch closely and test often :) Enjoy!

            Reply
    14. Tricia Griffith says

      November 28, 2020 at 10:35 am

      Never thought I’d write a review. I am not a carrot or any other cake lover, but I made this for my son and had a taste. Sooo awesome I decided to give my son just one half and kept the rest for myself, everyday taking a small slice. Best carrot cake ever.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 28, 2020 at 12:45 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, Tricia :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    15. Katalina says

      November 21, 2020 at 10:19 am

      So lovely! Living far from Canada it's nice to be able to make something so "north american" as carrot cake. Yay for a taste of my childhood. yummy icing too :-) added some chocolate letters to form "2020 Magic" - it really has been a transformative and beautiful year for me (and challenging too of course). Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 21, 2020 at 11:54 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Katalina and even more happy to hear you found some magic in this crazy year :) Thanks!

        Reply
    16. Mary says

      November 12, 2020 at 9:31 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic! Just added a bit more cinnamon.
      Love the icing as well!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 16, 2020 at 8:16 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Mary :) Thanks!

        Reply
    17. Chrystal says

      November 11, 2020 at 11:12 pm

      Hello! I wish to make this but I only have self raising flour in the holiday home - Would this still work you think? Many thanks!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 12, 2020 at 9:06 am

        Hi Chrystal, It may work, though I don't have enough knowledge of making this switch to give you precise instructions. I do know you'd need to look at and maybe adjust the salt, baking powder and baking soda, since self-raising flour has some of that already. I would google "substituting self-raising flour for all purpose flour" and follow the guidance for doing that.

        Reply
        • Lai says

          November 27, 2020 at 3:01 am

          Tried it with self raising flour and it turned out good still! I didn't add baking powder anymore but I added a pinch of salt and baking soda. I love this recipe so much that I even shared it with my sister and friends too! Thank you Jennifer! ❤

          Reply
          • Jennifer says

            November 27, 2020 at 12:02 pm

            Happy to hear, Lai :) Thanks!

            Reply
    18. Danielle Ostello says

      November 10, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Hi There,

      Would you be able to use maple syrup instead of sugar ? Just wondering if you think it would work.

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 10, 2020 at 12:24 pm

        Hi Danielle, I'm afraid I have zero experience with replacing white sugar with maple syrup. Perhaps google might offer some guidance for you.

        Reply
    19. Ariana says

      October 31, 2020 at 6:34 am

      5 stars
      Nice recipe! I added pumpkin spice and I used 1/2 almond flour and 1/2 gluten free flour instead. It turns out moist and dense and full of flavour . Love it !

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 31, 2020 at 9:31 am

        Thanks Ariana and thanks for sharing that your gluten-free version was nice, too!

        Reply
    20. Glenda says

      October 24, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      Beautiful carrot loaf without frosting

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 25, 2020 at 11:33 am

        Yes, It is delicious either way, for sure :) Thanks!

        Reply
    21. Carmen says

      October 09, 2020 at 8:12 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for this recipe! It was simple and turned out beautifully! Followed instructions exactly, except doubled the cinnamon (did not include nuts). Baked for 50 minutes and it’s perfection!

      I didn’t have cream cheese or powdered sugar so just made the loaf as is. I didn’t miss it at all, the loaf was moist and flavourful and paired just as well with a bit of butter. Yum!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 09, 2020 at 9:15 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Carmen :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    22. Anna says

      September 28, 2020 at 4:56 am

      Thank you for this recipe, it's an absolute hit with my family.

      Also, wanted to know if I can make the ingredients beforehand and just freeze it?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 28, 2020 at 9:26 am

        Glad you all enjoyed it, Anna :) As for freezing, are you asking about freezing the batter?

        Reply
    23. Kim says

      September 26, 2020 at 5:39 am

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe, its a keeper, easy and delicious. I made half the icing recipe and it was plenty for my taste

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 26, 2020 at 11:26 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Kim :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    24. Karishma says

      September 24, 2020 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      This was a great recipe. Whole family approved of it. Only thing I added was 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and a handful of raisins, but with or without this, I'm sure it would have been great. Cooked for exactly 50 minutes in my oven.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 24, 2020 at 6:36 pm

        So glad to hear! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
    25. diane marr says

      August 04, 2020 at 3:55 am

      5 stars
      I love the recipe it's so easy and successful I use Rice Bran oil instead
      of vegetable oil it's such a lovely oil to use in baking.
      10/10 from me. Thanks Diane

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        August 04, 2020 at 9:40 am

        So glad to hear, Diane :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
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