This extremely moist carrot cake loaf, adapted from carrot cake and pumpkin bread, is even more outrageously delicious than it seems. Brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg flavour this rich yet ultra-soft bread. Serve simply or topped with cinnamon cream cheese icing with walnuts, raisins, and pecans. This fast bread will become a staple in your kitchen no matter how you serve it.

This Loaf of Carrot Cake Is:

1. Exceptionally delicious and spicy
2. Brown sugar is used to sweeten.
3. In minutes, you can go from mixing bowl to oven.
4. Delicious simply or with a dollop of cinnamon cream cheese on top.

How to Make Carrot Cake Loaf in a Nutshell

You'll need two mixing bowls: one for dry ingredients such as flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices, and another for wet ingredients such as oil, brown sugar, applesauce/yogurt (either works), eggs, vanilla, and carrots. Combine all of the ingredients in a greased loaf pan and bake. Bake time is approximately 1 hour, plus or minus 15 minutes.

My number one advice for baking with carrots is to shred entire carrots at home. Because packaged pre-shredded carrots are hard and dry, do not use them. You'll notice how wet they are when you shred them– this is important moisture for your carrot loaf!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

TOPPINGS ON BAKED GOODS ARE MY FAVORITE. Is it a cinnamon swirl? Totally. Yes, yes, with the streusel. Yes, there is a glaze.

Keeping this in mind, believe me when I say that this bread is delicious even without a topping. But if cream cheese icing is appropriate, we'll be wearing it. Block cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt are required.

Description

Brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg flavour this dense yet ultra-soft carrot cake loaf. Serve simply or topped with cinnamon cream cheese icing with walnuts, raisins, and pecans.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. See notes for muffins or mini loaves.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and carrots together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until *just* combined. Fold in the nuts/add-in. Batter will be semi-thick.

Spread the batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 – 65 minutes. (I like to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.) Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean with zero raw batter. Remove the bread from the oven. Cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before removing and frosting.

Optional Frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt (I usually add a little less than 1/8 teaspoon), then beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Taste. Add more cinnamon and/or salt if desired. Frost cooled bread, slice, and serve.

Storing without frosting: Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to about 10 days. Storing with frosting: Cover and store leftover bread in the refrigerator for up to about 1 week.