Carrot Cake Loaf (Quick Bread)
This Carrot Cake Loaf (Quick Bread) is dense, yet ultra soft, flavored with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- Cooling Rack
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.75 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 cups vegetable oil (or canola oil, or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 0.33 cup unsweetened applesauce (or yogurt, at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups peeled and shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots)
- 0.75 cups chopped walnuts or pecans or raisins or dried cranberries (optional add-in)
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
- 4 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- 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. 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.
- 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, then beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled bread, slice, and serve.
- Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to about 10 days.
Notes
Loaf freezes best without frosting. Freeze baked & cooled loaf for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 210mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 829IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1.1mg
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