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.
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 :)
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.
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.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk them together well. Set aside.
Step 3: Add the sugar and oil to the bowl and cream together for 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the shredded carrot to the bowl and mix it in.
Step 5: Add the eggs to the batter and beat in.
Step 6: Add the nuts to the batter and mix together well.
Step 7: Add the flour mixture to the batter and stir in until there is no visible flour.
Step 8: The finished batter will be quite loose.
Step 9: Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake.
Step 10: The baked cake will be relatively flat (not domed) and may settle a small bit in the very centre as it cools.
Step 11: Once the cake is completely cooled, mix together the cream cheese frosting until smooth and fluffy.
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.
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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Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
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, 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 for about 1 minute. Add the 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot and mix in. Add the 2 large eggs and beat them in. Add the 1 cup walnuts 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.
- 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.
- 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
Watch how to make it
More loaf cake recipes to love!
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!
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!
So glad to hear, Rands :) Thanks so much!
Delicious. I used 1/2 cup of coconut sugar and raisins instead of walnuts. It was perfect. No change in the outcome.
Glad you enjoyed it, Francoise. Thanks :)
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.
So glad you are enjoying it, Jas and good to know that 1/2 stevia works well :) Thanks!
Can you use butter or olive oil instead of veg oil?^
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.
I made this recipe on Saturday and the carrot cake is still moist and delicious days later, will definitely be making this again!
So glad to hear, Amy :) Thanks so much!
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.
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.
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
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 :)
One of the best cakes I ever had. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! My family loved it❤️
So glad you enjoyed it, Pravika! Thanks so much :)
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?
Hi Brian, I suspect yes on both counts. Do keep in mind though, that anytime you vary from the recipe, the outcome can change.
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.
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!
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.
So glad you enjoyed it, Tricia :) Thanks so much!
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!
So glad you enjoyed it, Katalina and even more happy to hear you found some magic in this crazy year :) Thanks!
Fantastic! Just added a bit more cinnamon.
Love the icing as well!
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary :) Thanks!
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!
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.
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! ❤
Happy to hear, Lai :) Thanks!
Hi There,
Would you be able to use maple syrup instead of sugar ? Just wondering if you think it would work.
Thank you
Hi Danielle, I’m afraid I have zero experience with replacing white sugar with maple syrup. Perhaps google might offer some guidance for you.
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 !
Thanks Ariana and thanks for sharing that your gluten-free version was nice, too!
Beautiful carrot loaf without frosting
Yes, It is delicious either way, for sure :) Thanks!