Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting — My favorite recipe for carrot cake!! It’s ridiculously moist, soft, tender, and full of cinnamon-and-spice-and-everything-nice, including an abundance of carrots and sweet, juicy raisins!
The Easiest Carrot Cake (From Scratch!)
When it’s done right, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite indulgences. And this is my new favorite recipe for carrot cake.
I’m really picky about carrot cake. Just like when I dissected Lemon Bars and pointed out many things that could go awry from dog biscuit-like crust to lackluster lemon oomph, carrot cake is also ripe for caketastrophes, with the number one issue being dryness.
I would rather eat a dry rice cake than ingest all those calories on cake that tastes like a dry rice cake. Problem solved because this is the moistest carrot cake I’ve ever had!
Another issue that plagues carrot cakes is blandness. When it comes to cinnamon-and-spice-and-everything-nice, I use a heavier hand than most recipes call for.
Carrots, eggs, sugar, buttermilk, flour; they’re all ingredients that can stand up to bolder spices.
In no way is this carrot cake overly-spiced; it’s not a spice cake, but it’s flavorful. It’s not to be confused with those grocery store carrot cakes that are generally so bland they’re just one step above jarred baby food carrots.
This recipe is a keeper. The carrot loaf cake is tender, springy, dense but not heavy, falling-apart soft and moist without being greasy.
It’s full of texture from the carrots and raisins. And it’s warmly spiced with cinnamon and the spices classic carrot cake is known for. The cream cheese frosting is the literal icing on the cake; tangy, creamy, luscious.
I have not been able to keep away from this cake. It’s a good thing the recipe makes two loaves.
Carrot Cake Loaf Ingredients
To make carrot cake in a loaf pan, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Oil
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Brown & granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Spices (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda & baking powder
- Grated carrots
- Raisins
- Nuts (optional)
- Cream cheese
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make a Carrot Cake Loaf
This simple carrot loaf cake recipe has a quick, whisk-tougher batter. There is nothing fussy about it and it goes from cupboard to oven in less than 5 minutes with very few dirty dishes!
Here’s an overview of how to make a spiced carrot loaf cake:
- Make the carrot cake loaf: Simply melt the butter, add the oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugars, vanilla, all the spices, and whisk. That’s the first 11 ingredients.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, optional salt, fold in the carrots, raisins, and optional nuts.
- Pour the batter into your pan, making sure not to fill any pan more than halfway full because the batter rises considerably.
- Bake at 350F until top is set in the middle, and it will likely have domed up a little. A toothpick will come out clean, and even when the cake is done, the pan will feel heavy for it’s size. This is one moist cake, I’m telling you!
- Make the frosting: Beat together butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, a splash of vanilla, and whip until it’s soft and fluffy.
Frosting Tip
For the photos, I wanted you to see the moistness and texture on the surface of the slices and didn’t cover them frosting. But in reality, I eat a thick, ridiculous layer of frosting, smeared all over.
I lay the slice flat and butter it. With frosting. That little skimpy one-inch stripe on top is just for photos!
A Note on Baking Times
Baking times will vary greatly by pan sizes used.
- For standard-sized loaf pans, 40 to 50 minutes, is recommended. I baked the 8-by-4-inch loaf for 42 minutes and the 9-by-5-inch for 50 minutes.
- For mini loaves or muffins, I’d start checking them by 20 minutes, and go from there.
- For one big Bundt cake, it’ll likely take 55 to 65 minutes.
Because of oven variances, various pans used, moisture content in the carrots, and personal preference, baking times will vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
This batter makes enough for two loaves. I used one 9-by-5-inch pan and one 8-by-4-inch pan. The photos are of the 9-by-5-inch. I like symmetry and wanted to do two 8-by-4-inch loaves, but there was just a bit too much batter. I could have them made 4 to 6 muffins, but kept it easy in two loaf pans.
Choose any combination of loaf pans, muffin pans, tube or Bundt cake pans.
It would make a great 10- to 12-cup Bundt, two mini Bundts, or about 4 mini loaves.
Whatever odd assortment of pans you have, go with it, adjusting baking times accordingly.
Nope! I know some people don’t like raisins, but I’m a raisin lover. Here they’re used plentifully, adding flavor, texture, and help keep an already soft and moist cake even more so. As for nuts, they’re a total deal-breaker for me in baked goods and this carrot cake is nut-free. With both raisins and nuts, you can add or omit based on your ideal definition of carrot cake.
No! The buttermilk tenderizes the batter and helps an otherwise dense batter rise nicely while baking. If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, you can make a substitute using regular milk and either lemon juice or vinegar (Google it! There are lots of tutorials online about how to make DIY buttermilk).
I recommend doing so, yes. I used both granulated and brown sugar since a bit of brown sugar adds flavor and moisture. However, you may use just granulated sugar if that’s all you have.
Tips for Making Carrot Cake in a Loaf Pan
Spices: The spices include a mix of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. If you don’t happen to keep them all on hand, I suggest using more cinnamon. Cinnamon cures everything.
For a twist, if you love pumpkin like I do, pumpkin pie spice would be lovely, too. As written, the cake is nicely spiced and before you double the cinnamon or other spices like I usually do with most recipes, taste the batter and go from there.
Mix-ins: If you’re using both raisins and nuts, reduce each to about 3/4-cup rather than one full cup each so you don’t overwhelm the batter with add-ins, tasty as it sounds.
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Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt, optional (buttermilk is already a salted milk and I omitted adding salt)
- 2 ¼ cups coarsely grated carrots, packed loosely
- 1 cup raisins, optional but recommended
- 1 cup diced nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, optional
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used Trader Joe's Whipped Light)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, half of one stick
- 1 ½ cups+ confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F; spray loaf pans with floured cooking spray; set aside. I used one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and one 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. Choose any combination of loaf pan sizes, tube or Bundt cake pans, or muffin pans.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and whisk vigorously until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, optional salt, and stir to incorporate; don't overmix.
- Stir in the carrots.
- Stir in the raisins and optional nuts.
- Pour batter into prepared pans, making sure not to fill any pan more than halfway full because this batter rises considerably.
- Bake the two loaves (9x5 and 8x4) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is set in the center, golden, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. While cakes cool, make the frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, butter, and beat to soften and combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Add additional sugar as desired for thicker frosting.
- Spread frosting over the tops of the cooled loaves. Slice into 3/4-inch wide slices and serve. I yield 9 to 10 slices from a 9x5 loaf.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Carrot Cake Recipes:
ALL OF MY CARROT CAKE-INSPIRED RECIPES!
Layered Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — A tender and moist classic two-layer carrot cake with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting!
Carrot Cake Bars — Dense, chewy, super moist bars that taste like carrot cake with a cream cheese topping that’s baked right in so you don’t need to worry about frosting them!!
Salted Caramel Carrot Cake — Soft, tender, EASY carrot cake infused with salted caramel sauce and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting is the ULTIMATE in decadence!!
Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting — These soft, moist, tender cupcakes are the BEST carrot cake cupcakes I’ve ever had!! They’re fast and easy to make, and come together in minutes!
Soft and Chewy Spiced Carrot Cake Cookies — All the flavors of richly spiced carrot cake, but in cookie form! Soft, chewy, extremely moist, and not at all cakey!
Carrot Banana Bread — EASY, no-mixer, super soft banana carrot bread that reminds me of carrot cake but healthier!! Great Easter brunch idea or spring baked good!
Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — A marriage of pumpkin cake and carrot cake into one soft, moist, tender, and amazing cake!! The tangy cream cheese frosting is truly the icing on this easy cake!!
Soft Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze — Super soft carrot cake bars that taste like blondies packed with chewy carrots! So good and a must-make!
I agree with you – I love carrot cake but sometimes it can just be so bad and a total waste of calories : ) This looks delicious. I just got a new loaf pan …. this may be a good way to break it in!
Break it in! Yes!
The top tier of our wedding cake was carrot…with lots of cream cheese frosting! I have had some dry pieces with paltry amounts of carrot and figured it could have been a boxed mix. Yours is a beauty–I can see all of the good stuff in there and it definitely looks moist! I’ve never been a fan of angel food cakes or cakes with that type of texture…I like a little density in baked goods.
So many people have said they want carrot cake at their wedding or had carrot cake as their wedding cake. I never knew it was even an option? I mean anything goes at one’s wedding; it’s the person’s call of course but I am surprised to hear the popularity of it as wedding cake. And I think that would be great! I’d love to be at a wedding where carrot cake was served!
Yum! I love carrot cake season! Putting vegetables into my desserts makes me feel okay eating way more of them than I should :)
Love the way you think :)
Okay, why does everything you make look totally beautiful and perfect?!
Thank you for making this nut-free. Desserts with nuts are also deal-breakers for me (I don’t eat nuts). I love the idea of a carrot cake loaf – it’s so much easier to store and slice than a full-blown cake.
So much easier to store, so much easier to tackle, and many people don’t own 2 or 3 cake pans but a loaf pan is more common. And glad my nut-less cake works for you :)
I love love love carrot cake! And the fact that you get to put cream cheese frosting on it is what really does it for me. I would NEVER think of making a carrot cake (or eating one for that matter) that didn’t have cream cheese frosting…until about a year and a half ago. I was introduced to a carrot cake bundt without frosting. I know! Instead of frosting is has a Grand Marnier glaze. Yes! It doesn’t even need the frosting, it is the most moist, delicious carrot cake I have ever had. Now, it doesn’t have raisins but they can easily be added. I just posted my recipe for this carrot cake last week, check it out! And don’t be afraid of the lack of frosting.
https://gingerbearkitchen.com/2013/01/carrot-cake
Oh girl! You’re just like me. I love my raisins as well (I actually just threw a few on my cereal) and dislike nuts in my baked goods. There’s just something about taking a bite into something sweet and then tasting the bitterness of a nut. I like my nuts as an afternoon snack or in certain pastas or oatmeal, but not a baked good. I love the fact that this carrot cake can be made in various sized pans. I actually think bundt cakes are super simple to throw together, the only problem I have with them is frosting them. Whenever I try and dribble the frosting on, it looks LAME! They should offer a course in cake dribbling. I have to tell you that one of John’s favorite desserts is coconut cake and carrot cake. I think I will have to treat him to this cake soon! Have a great day girl and I hope you’re having some warmer and sunnier weather. We’re having spring fever up here and I LOVE it. xoxo, Jackie
It’s such an easy, easy batter Jackie. In some many ways it reminds me of the pumpkin bundt that we both love, but with carrots. And I do agree than Bundts are super easy; they’re my fave kind of cake to make and if I was making this just for us, I would have made it like that. But for my blog, people love their loaf pans :) Drizzling – just take your time and the beauty is that it doesn’t have to be perfect :)
I adore carrot cake…and this carrot cake loaf looks seriously incredible!!!
Yes! Carrot cake + cream cheese frosting is another one of those magical dessert/baking combos.
We also had it for 2 tiers of our wedding cake ;)
I just told this to another person – you’re like the 5th person in the comments alone who’s mentioned this!
“So many people have said they want carrot cake at their wedding or had carrot cake as their wedding cake. I never knew it was even an option? I mean anything goes at one’s wedding; it’s the person’s call of course but I am surprised to hear the popularity of it as wedding cake. And I think that would be great! I’d love to be at a wedding where carrot cake was served!”
Averie, how did you know I’ve been craving carrot cake?! Also, I totally agree with some many of your points here: the importance of mega moisture, adding plenty of spice, and yes yes yes to raisins! Winner!
i cannot describe how excited i am about this recipe!! carrot cake WITH cream cheese frosting is my FAVORITE cake. seriously YUM. might have to make this today! i’m thinking one loaf and a few cup cakes will do…with a generous layer of frosting might i add. :)
Please LMK if you try it!
Again – amazing. Even if I didn’t like it I’d want that. Your photos are just stellar. And I had to go back and pin those carrot cake balls!
Thanks, Heather, and for the pin, too! :)
Ugh – yet another post on sweet treats. Use to love your blog, but where is the real food?
I’m sure there’s a blog out there that will serve your needs better if that’s what you’re looking for. A couple days ago I posted these vegetables if that’s what you mean by real food.
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2013/01/lemon-rosemary-coconut-oil-roasted-vegetables.html
What the what? That was rude. I LOVE all the goodies. Veggies, too (those veggies looked amazing the other day, btw.) Another thing I love: Carrot cake. And I’m in the raisin club with you- They. Are. So. So. Great.
This looks divine!!! Seriously, I NEED a slice now haha. And your photos are fantastic!
Carrot cake is my favorite!!! We actually had it for our wedding cake! I’ve never made one myself, but one of my friends makes a gluten-free carrot cake every year around her birthday–it’s to die for! Yum.
You’re like the 6th person in these comments alone who said they had it as their wedding cake or want to. I think that would be awesome. I had no idea it was such a popular choice as wedding cake!
Yes, my husband even joked with me, “of course . . . only you would find a way to get vegetables into your wedding cake”. :)
Also, I made the coconut/lemon/rosemary roasted veggies and posted about them yesterday. Delicious!!
Whoaaaa, you are a mindreader. I have leftover cream cheese and was just thinking of making carrot cake!
Mindreader. Actually…I could tell you some stories. But I hope you try this cake. Seriously, best I’ve ever had!