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!
Hi Averie, can the buttermilk be replaced with milk? I’ve got everything on the list except buttermilk:)
Meh, not really interchangeable.
Google how to make buttermilk in a pinch, i.e about a tablespoon or two of vinegar to regular milk, wait 10 mins to let it sour, and in a pinch that normally does the trick. Enjoy!
Thank you so much averie for your super prompt reply & helpful suggestions…really appreciate it .
Averie , also to add on …my sister is nuts about the Starbucks Banana nut bread…she just delivered a baby two weeks back …I want to surprise her with that ..any of your banana loafs similar to that one???? though I am planning to bake your banana bread with Browned butter recipe of yours which has vanilla is different forms which I am sure is way better …. Droooollling !
I honestly don’t eat their banana bread because, truthfully, I know I will not like it as well as my own recipes just because I am very picky about banana bread :)
https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/07/cream-cheese-filled-banana-bread.html
That recipe is excellent and what I’d recommend. If you dont want to do the cream cheese, you could probably just double the bread part of the recipe so you have enough volume to fill the pan, omitting the cream cheese part. Otherwise the 6-banana loaf is super good! Check the related recipes section of the post for the links to some faves!
Dear Averie,
As per above I had written to you about your inputs on a lovely banana bread for my sister who loves them but very picky about the taste ….I baked your banana bread which had vanilla incorporated in different ways.
I did not have the pudding mix so followed your suggestions on the substitution and I used vanilla banana yogurt from Trader Joe’s…. Ohhhh this is something else – she loved the bread a lot… I loved it a lot…My entire family gobbled it up in no time. Infact before she could eat the last bite I have been asked to bake two more loafs for tomorrow.
I am glad that my sister who kept asking me to bake the banana bread like the coffee shop,said it was way better than that too.
Thanks a lot averie! You are amazing and so are all your recipes.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s better than the coffee shop’s bread! So glad your whole family gobbled it up!
I love love loovve your blog. I am from India and this is my to go blog for most bakes. This recipe of yours was lying in my to do list of baking since long…. I baked it last night at 2am for my BIL’s birthday and we had it for brunch this morning…. OMG is the word… This recipe of yours is mindblowing…this truly is one of the best things I have ever baked..what lovely burst of flavours in a single bite…yyuummmmm…and letting the cake sit all night was the best decision ever(although very difficult)
.While grating carrots I realised I was short of them by 1/4cup so used some grated beetroot ..it still tasted beautiful.
Thanks for this recipe and ilove your blog and recipes…you do not know how much I love you. Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s one of the best things you’ve ever baked!
Thanks for all the compliments and for being such a loyal reader and glad you love my recipes so much!
My go to recipe is my banana bread which I have perfected over the years but I have Ben craving carrot cake and this looks amazing. Would it be too bland to make this without the frosting ? I want someting less decadent we can pack and eat in the car on long work commutes !
It’s fine without the frosting. You don’t need it if you’re trying to keep things lighter. Of course I think frosting makes everything better, but this isn’t a bland cake at all and doesn’t truly ‘need’ frosting for flavor or moisture. Enjoy!
Do you think this could hold up as a “loaf” similar to banana bread? I want to slice and wrap to give away to friends during the week. I want to be sure it could hold up and be eaten by hand. Thank you! :)
Yes it is a loaf, like loaf of banana bread. It’s soft and moist but will hold up fine I think being handheld.
May I ask approximately how many standard-size muffins do you think this would yield? :)
Hmm, I’d guess 15 to 18 standard, and maybe 12-14 more on the XL size, but purely guesses!
Averie- Do you think you can make this as a sheet cake? I saw the cutest thing where they made a sheet cake and cut it into rounds for mini carrot cakes, but i wanted to make your cake cause it sounds super moist and tasty.
Thanks!
You probably could but I don’t know how baking time would be effected. Baking as a loaf does keep it super moist and I think an 8×8 or 9×9 pan would be fine but wouldn’t go much larger than that unless you start doubling the recipe but I haven’t tried any of this. LMK if you do.
this is one of the best carrot cakes that I’ve have ever made. Delicious!! I made 4 loaves of it from one recipe (mini loaf pans that someone gave me as a gift) . The cream cheese frosting is also fabulous. Using Trader Joe’s light whipped cream cheese was an excellent suggestion!
Thanks for saying it’s one of the best CC’s you’ve ever made! I agree :) I have always wanted to try it baking in a 4-some of mini pans. I have some and love them! Haven’t tried it with this particular recipe but glad to know it works!
And I love TJ’s light whipped cream cheese for things like frosting when saving a few calories is nice :)
Realized as I cut one that the middle never cooked as there was too much moisture. Is there a way around this?
I really honestly just recommend baking a bit longer. Climates and ovens vary and I live in dry San Diego and just watch your cake, not the clock, and you will be fine; bake until done. Tent with foil if top is getting browned before middle cooks through.
You could reduce the amt of buttermilk or the oil or both; but you will sacrifice fluffiness and softness, and I haven’t tested the recipe that way. LMK what your trials bring.
I was so excited to bake this and give as gifts for Christmas. Unfortunately the middle collapsed on all of them. I have never had this happen before so I am not sure what happened.
Collapsing in the middle means, generally, it was not baked fully through or reached a hot enough internal temp. I would say another 10 mins or so in the oven was all you needed. Just bake longer next time.
Hi Averie! Can you substitute gluten free flour for the all purpose flour? I usually use Better Batter or Cup4Cup. Thanks!!
Probably – but since I haven’t tried it, I don’t know for sure. If it’s the type of GF flour that says it’s a 1:1 swap with regular all-purpose, then go for it!
Wonderful recipe. Baked in a fancy bundt pan, 55 minutes. Let cool completely then heavy on the frosting. I added pecans, normally add crushed pineapple but not this time. Thinking would go heavier on the spices as it comes across as mild. Love the addition of melted butter, adds a richness along with the little bit of brown sugar. Again, this is a keeper! Thank you.
Thanks for the glowing report and for LMK exactly what you did – that is so helpful for me and others to hear, i.e. big Bundt for 55 mins.
Glad you like the butter, too. Between the butter, oil, and buttermilk – it’s one moist cake, right!
And yes on the spices and going heavier. For my personal cakes and how I make them, I go heavier than what I write here. In the past when I write things as heavy as I go on cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. I get people writing in to me and complaining that it’s too much and all they can taste is cinnamon. I personally believe you can almost never have too much vanilla, cinnamon, or cream cheese frosting :)
Thanks again for trying this recipe~!