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Carrot Cake Loaf is a deliciously moist carrot cake quick bread recipe with a luscious cream cheese frosting on top. It’s just as delicious as a classic carrot cake, but instead it’s made in a loaf pan and served in slices.
For more carrot cake favorite be sure and try Sheet Pan Carrot Cake Bars, Glazed Carrot Cake Cookies, and The Best Carrot Cake that I make every single year for Easter. It’s a good one!
Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe With Delicious Cream Cheese Frosting
This carrot cake loaf is similar to a classic layered carrot cake recipe with all the same ingredients like freshly shredded carrots, which add natural sweetness and moisture, oil which helps the bread be super soft with a tender crumb, and warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
I love making this one for Easter but it’s honestly so yummy to make anytime of the year. My #1 tip is to make sure you shred the carrots yourself rather than buying pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store. It makes such a big difference, promise!
Simple Ingredients Needed
Carrot Cake Loaf Ingredients
- Large Eggs
- Vegetable Oil
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar : The brown sugar needs to be ‘packed’ which means that you pack and press it in tight when measuring out the amount needed. When you dump the brown sugar into the mixing bowl, it should hold its shape from the measuring cup and that’s how you know it was packed correctly.
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour : I use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Cinnamon
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt : It’s best to use a fine salt like table salt (iodized salt) or fine sea salt.
- Ground Nutmeg
- Grated Carrots : You will need about 3 carrots in order to get 2 cups shredded carrots.
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans : This is optional.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese : It’s best to use full-fat cream cheese because it offers the thickest, creamiest texture, and best taste. Of course, the reduced-fat can be used if that’s what you prefer.
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans : This is an optional garnish for the top of the loaf after you spread the frosting on.
How To Make Carrot Cake Bread (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
Make The Carrot Cake Loaf : In a large bowl, whisk together the large eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula just until everything is combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts or pecans (if using) gently just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Allow the bread to cool inside the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Remove the loaf from the loaf pan and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make The Cream Cheese Frosting : In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until creamy and whipped. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth and combined (increase the speed as needed).
Spread the frosting evenly over top the cooled carrot cake bread. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans (if using). Slice & enjoy!
How To Store Carrot Cake Loaf With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Refrigeration : Store the frosted carrot cake bread inside an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to store the individual slices layered inside a Tupperware type container, with pieces of parchment paper between each one, so they don’t stick together and the frosting won’t get messy. You can also place the loaf or slices onto a plate and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil for storage.
- Freezer : Wrap the unfrosted baked carrot cake loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap again in aluminum foil. Place the loaf inside a freezer-safe container or large Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Make-Ahead Instructions : You can prepare the batter up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. Bake when ready. Alternatively, bake the bread and store it covered at room temperature until you are ready to frost it and serve it.
Recipe Tips
- Always use freshly grated carrots instead of the pre-shredded carrots. Pre-shredded carrots you can buy at the grocery store are often too dry and coarse, which can affect the texture and moisture of the bread. Use a box grater to shred the carrots on either the fine side or larger side, depending on preference.
- When combining the wet and dry ingredients together, mix gently just until combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense, heavy loaf instead of a soft and tender crumb.
- To ensure the bread bakes evenly, rotate the pan halfway through baking. This is especially helpful if your oven has hot spots.
- Let the bread cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. If the bread is too warm, the frosting will slide and melt right off.
- Line your pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This will make lifting the bread out of the pan easy once it’s baked.
More Quick Bread Loaf Recipes
Carrot Cake Loaf
Equipment
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Loaf
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (table salt or fine sea salt is best)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 carrots)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
Carrot Cake Loaf
- In a large bowl, whisk together the large eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.3 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula just until everything is combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain in the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
- Stir in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts or pecans (if using) gently just until combined.2 cups grated carrots, 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool inside the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Remove the loaf from the loaf pan and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until creamy and whipped.4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth and combined (increase the speed as needed).1½ cups powdered sugar
- Spread the frosting evenly over top the cooled carrot cake bread. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans (if using). Slice & enjoy!1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Notes
- Always use freshly grated carrots instead of the pre-shredded carrots. Pre-shredded carrots you can buy at the grocery store are often too dry and coarse, which can affect the texture and moisture of the bread. Use a box grater to shred the carrots on either the fine side or larger side, depending on preference.
- When combining the wet and dry ingredients together, mix gently just until combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense, heavy loaf instead of a soft and tender crumb.
- Let the bread cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. If the bread is too warm, the frosting will slide and melt right off.
- Line your pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This will make lifting the bread out of the pan easy once it’s baked.
Nutrition
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