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4.84 from 6 votes
Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Icing on a cutting board with three slices cut.
Carrot Cake Loaf
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
A good moist carrot cake is good for almost any occasion, but somehow a carrot cake loaf with cream cheese icing dripping down the sides is just meant for that afternoon coffee break.
Course: Desserts/Sweets
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Breakfast/Brunch
Servings: 8
Calories: 650 kcal
Ingredients
  • butter and sugar to grease and sugar the pan
  • 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1-½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups carrots shredded (about 3 to 4 medium carrots)
  • ¾ cups walnuts chopped (optional)
  • ½ cup raisins (optional)
  • sanding sugar (optional)
Cream Cheese Glaze:
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Butter the inside of a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan and dust with sugar. Shake the pan to cover the bottom and sides with sugar and tap out any excess sugar. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. In a large second bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil, whisking to combine. Add the eggs one at a time and stir in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet. Do Not over-mix the batter. Gently fold in the shredded carrots, walnut and raisins (if using).
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle the top with sanding sugar and transfer the pan to the oven.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 60 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

  6. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the carrot loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and cool completely on cooling rack.
  7. To make the cream cheese glaze, place the cream cheese and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Soften the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is easy to stir. Gradually add the powdered sugar and stir to combine. Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of the milk, whisk until smooth.
  8. Place a baking sheet under the cooling rack. Drizzle the cooled carrot loaf cake with the cream cheese glaze. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add additional milk gradually to thin it out to a pourable consistency. Let glaze set for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts
Carrot Cake Loaf
Amount Per Serving
Calories 650 Calories from Fat 333
% Daily Value*
Fat 37g57%
Saturated Fat 22g110%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 451mg19%
Potassium 316mg9%
Carbohydrates 75g25%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 46g51%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 5715IU114%
Vitamin C 2.6mg3%
Calcium 69mg7%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.