The Best Quick Carrot Cake Loaf Cake Recipe

Since you are here, check out this pumpkin bread recipe and this brown butter banana bread.

This is the best moist carrot cake loaf recipe

This is one of my favorite carrot cake recipes ever! It is moist, perfectly spiced, and insanely easy to throw together. 

Plus the addition of the cream cheese frosting takes it from a regular loaf cake to something your friends and family will keep asking you for over and over again! 

Ingredients for this traditional carrot cake recipe

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this carrot cake in a loaf pan. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements. 

• Flour
• Baking soda and Baking powder
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon and Ground nutmeg
• Oil: We are using vegetable oil but feel free to use any neutral oil you prefer. 
• Granulated sugar and Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Carrots: shredded carrots add so much moisture to this loaf cake. Make sure to shred your own carrots though since store-bought ones tend to be a little dry and flavorless. 
• Walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting – Optional frosting but highly recommended. 

• Cream Cheese
• Butter: Make sure to use unsalted butter for the frosting to get the best flavor. 
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt – As always a little salt helps balance the sweetness of your sweet treats.

This is a plain vanilla cream cheese frosting but if you are feeling adventurous you can adding some spices, citrus zest or even browning the butter to create something completely different. Two of my favorite are cinnamon cream cheese frosting and brown butter cream cheese frosting. 

How to make the classic carrot cake into a loaf cake

This is how you can make this carrot loaf cake. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions!

1. Preheat the oven and line a greased loaf pan with parchment aper then set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.
3. In a large bowl combine the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the carrots and mix to combine. 
4. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, fold in the chopped walnuts and fold to evenly distribute them into the batter. 
5. Pour the carrot cake batter in the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven. The cake will be ready when it is golden brown on top and when a wooden skewer inserted in the tallest area of the cake comes out clean. 
6. Allow the loaf cake to cool down then remove it from the cake pan and allow it to cool down fully on a wire rack before frosting. 

If you’re looking for a gluten-free carrot cake this one is it!

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1. Cream the cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl then gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. 
2. Whip until thick and fluffy then frost the cooled down loaf cake. 
3. Slice and enjoy! 

Why You need to make this recipe!

• This recipe is so easy to make and uses simple ingredients. 
• You can make it for easter or whenever you have a few extra carrots. 
• This will quickly become one of your favorite cakes to make around spring because it’s so easy and so delicious!
• It takes a traditional carrot cake with cream cheese icing and turns it into loaf form. 
• This cake can be made with a hand mixer, a whisk, a rubber spatula, or even a stand mixer. So anyone can make it with ease. 
• It is insanely moist thanks to the addition of the carrots!

Frequently asked questions – FAQ

How to store this delicious carrot cake loaf?

This will depend on if you decide to frost your loaf cake or not. 

For a frosted carrot cake loaf, you will want to store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will keep for up to one week. 

For a carrot loaf cake without frosting, you can keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer feel free to keep it in the fridge. 

Can I freeze this carrot cake bread?

You sure can!

Loaf cakes freeze so well and this one is no exception. Once it’s cooled down to room temperature wrap the whole unfrosted loaf in plastic wrap a few times then wrap with foil. You can then freeze for up to 3 months. 

You can also freeze frosted slices of this carrot cake but you will have to flash freeze them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet first to ensure that the frosting doesn’t smear. 

Once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Raisins or no raisins in carrot cake?

This is literally the biggest disagreement when it comes to carrot cake but I noticed a lot of people hate it so I ended up going for a recipe that didn’t use them as you can tell in the photos but adding them is such an easy task. 

All you have to do is fold ½ cup raisins into the cake batter whenever you are adding in your walnuts and bake.

What is the best way to grate carrots?

I love using my food processor with the grating attachment to make my life easier but if you don’t have that a box grater will work just as well. I grated mine using the fine side.

Do I have to use walnuts?

Definitely not. You can either omit them completely or use a different nut. I think the addition of pecans adds a delicious flavor that pairs so well with this loaf cake.

Do I have to top my carrot cake loaf cake with cream cheese frosting?

This will completely depend on your preference. This specific recipe makes a carrot cake that is not overpoweringly sweet which is why I love to add the creamy and sweet cream cheese frosting on top.

To keep the sweetness level balanced you can also serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar or a vanilla glaze to elevate how it looks and add sweetness as well!

The Best Quick Carrot Cake Loaf Cake Recipe

If you enjoyed this carrot cake loaf cake recipe, make sure to pin it for later!