Description
Carrot Cake Bread is a moist quick bread that blends warm spices, freshly shredded carrots, and a tender crumb for a comforting slice any time of day. This easy loaf uses pantry ingredients and a simple method so home bakers can achieve consistent results with a soft texture and balanced sweetness.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (188g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce or yogurt, at room temperature
1 teaspoon alcohol free vanilla flavor such as Alcohol Free Simply Organic or Watkins Clear Vanilla Flavor
1 1/2 cups (200g) peeled and freshly shredded carrots, about 3 large carrots
Optional add in: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, or dried cranberries
For the optional cinnamon cream cheese frosting:
4 ounces (113g) full fat brick cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (120g) confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon alcohol free vanilla flavor such as Alcohol Free Simply Organic or Watkins Clear Vanilla Flavor
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set aside
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until evenly combined
3. In a medium bowl whisk the vegetable oil, eggs, packed brown sugar, applesauce or yogurt, alcohol free vanilla flavor, and shredded carrots until smooth and combined
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until just combined, taking care not to overmix
5. Fold in any optional add ins such as chopped walnuts, pecans, raisins, or dried cranberries
6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top
7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, loosely tenting the top with foil halfway through if the top is browning too quickly
8. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with no raw batter
9. Remove the loaf from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing
10. To make the optional frosting, beat the softened brick style cream cheese until smooth, add the softened butter and beat to combine
11. Mix in the confectioners sugar, alcohol free vanilla flavor, ground cinnamon, and a small pinch of salt, beat on low until creamy
12. Spread the frosting over the cooled loaf, slice, and serve
Notes
Freshly shred carrots by hand rather than using pre shredded produce to retain moisture in the loaf
You can swap applesauce or yogurt with mashed banana, crushed pineapple, or sour cream if desired for similar moisture
If you reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup or 2/3 cup expect a less sweet, lightly sweetened loaf; using 1 cup yields a sweeter cake like loaf
Avoid liquid sweeteners, they can thin the batter and alter texture
For muffins portion the same batter into a muffin tin and follow typical muffin baking times, yield about 14 muffins
For mini loaves grease a mini loaf pan, fill cups nearly to the top and adjust bake time based on pan size
To freeze wrap a fully cooled unfrosted loaf tightly and freeze for up to three months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and frost after thawing if desired
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Quick Bread, Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American