Carrot Cake Loaf Cake (with Optional Frosting!)
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Carrot cake lovers have got to try this carrot cake loaf cake! This carrot loaf cake is super moist thanks to a combination of oil and applesauce (making it naturally dairy-free!). I’ve topped it with an optional cream cheese frosting, but it tastes just as good on its own!
I was making a batch of my banana carrot muffins (an amazing meal prep snack or breakfast, by the way!) when I realized I needed to make a loaf cake version! This carrot cake loaf cake is better than any regular carrot cake, since there’s no need to assemble a layer cake!
This carrot loaf is easily customizable, just like my muffins, so you can add nuts, chocolate chips, or raisins! Plus, you can easily make it dairy-free, so it’s perfect if you’re like me and have food allergies.
I added a delicious cream cheese frosting, but I promise it tastes amazing on its own!
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Cake Loaf Cake
- This carrot loaf cake is packed with flavor thanks to warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- The loaf cake is naturally dairy-free as it’s made with oil and applesauce instead of butter!
- You can make this cake in an 8×4 or 9×5-inch baking pan.
Ingredients Needed
- Applesauce: Make sure you’re using unsweetened applesauce!
- Carrots: Shred your own carrots instead of buying them pre-shredded. Those ready-shredded bags of carrots are usually really dry!
- Oil: You can use any neutral oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil; we want something without a strong flavor or smell.
- Cream Cheese: This loaf cake has been tested with regular cream cheese frosting and vegan cream cheese frosting! If you’re dairy-free and making the cream cheese frosting, I recommend the Violife brand.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.
Step 5: Pour the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cake cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it cool on a wire cooling rack.
Step 3: Grate the carrots and then stir them into the wet ingredients.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Step 6: In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese until combined.
Step 7: Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix. Refrigerate while the loaf finishes cooling. Once cooled completely, spread the frosting on top of the loaf and enjoy!
Adding Mix-Ins
I love customizing this loaf cake depending on what I’ve got in the pantry! Feel free to add up to ½ cup of mix-ins. These are some of my favorites:
Expert Tips
- I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your flour! It’s so easy to add too much flour if you’re using measuring cups, which will make your loaf cake dry and dense.
- Don’t have a kitchen scale? Then make sure to use the scoop and level method to weigh out your flour!
- When lining your loaf pan, make sure the parchment paper hangs over the sides. That’ll make it a lot easier to remove the cake from the pan!
- You can use an 8×4-inch pan or a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Just note if using the smaller loaf pan, your loaf cake will be taller!
- There’s no need to peel the carrots before grating them.
Storage Instructions
Keep the loaf cake covered in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To freeze, wrap unfrosted slices of carrot cake loaf cake in clingfilm and then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Carrot Cake Loaf Cake (with Optional Frosting!)
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Loaf
- ½ cup (106 ml) sunflower oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup (83 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cup (175 g) grated carrots
- 1¾ cup (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
- 2 Tablespoons (26 g) butter, softened, (regular or vegan)
- 2 oz (60 g) cream cheese, softened, (regular or vegan)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup (180 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
Carrot Cake Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 8×4 loaf pan or 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides to make it easy to remove the loaf later.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk or a mixer to mix together the oil, brown sugar, and white sugar until combined. Mix in the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Grate the carrots then stir them in with the wet ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices together and whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then gently remove the loaf from the pan to finish cooling completely on the cooling rack.
- While the loaf cools, make the cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat the butter, vanilla extract, and cream cheese until combined.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix. Refrigerate while you wait for the loaf to finish cooling. Once the loaf has cooled completely, spread the frosting on top of the loaf, then slice and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Beat carrot cake ever!!! Moist and delish! I doubled the icing recipe for a little extra ❤️🔥
No notes, absolutely perfect! X
Thank you Tay!