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.
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 9x5-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.
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.
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.
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
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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