I’ve had a craving for carrot cake all week and this recipe is perfect for those lazy baking days where you just don’t need to be in the kitchen for hours just to satisfy your cravings. The cake is soft and moist and pairs perfectly with velvet like cream cheese frosting.

The intense cinnamon flavor, with ground ginger nutmeg and crushed pecans are essential for any good carrot cake.

You don’t need a mixer just a whisk and the recipe is fairly easy to make. It’s truly the waiting around that kills me, having to wait for the cake to cool in order to frost it and then waiting around for the frosting to set is excruciating, I can’t be the only one who struggles with this. It always smells so good I just want to eat it straight out of the oven!

The cake is not overly sweet. The cream cheese itself is sweet enough and it’s just the right balance. I don’t know about you, but I really have a thing for cream cheese frosting.  Give me a spoon, and I’m happy.

Print Recipe

CARROT CAKE LOAF WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

I’ve had a craving for carrot cake all week and this recipe is perfect for those lazy baking days where you just don’t need to be in the kitchen for hours just to satisfy your cravings. The cake is soft and moist and pairs perfectly with velvet like cream cheese frosting. The intense cinnamon flavor, with ground ginger nutmeg and crushed pecans are essential for any good carrot cake.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• Carrot Cake Loaf
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 5/8 cup oil 150ml
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups carrots shredded (180g)
• Optional
• Crushed pecans
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 3/8 cup butter 85g
• 3/4 cup cream cheese 173g
• 1 1/8 cups powdered sugar sifted (135g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Garnish
• Crushed pecans

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or coconut oil to easily lift the Carrot Cake Loaf out of the pan after baking. Set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla* just until combined. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in carrots (and crushed pecans –optional) just until combined. Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake.
• Remove cake from the oven and cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then lift out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
• Meanwhile, make the Cream Cheese Frosting. Mix butter with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment until soft for about 1 minute. Add cream cheese and mix until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth and combined for about 1 minute. Spread cream cheese frosting on top of cooled carrot cake and sprinkle with nuts if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.