Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting

If you were to ask what our favorite dessert recipes on Well Seasoned are, it’s a three way tie. Apple cinnamon bundt cake (it is wildly delicious), cannoli cream parfaits, and this — our must make, best ever carrot cake loaf!

This one is super special to me. For over a decade, my husband and I used to take an annual fall to Cape Cod. One year, we stayed at an adorable B&B in Dennis Port. At breakfast they served a carrot loaf (sans cream cheese frosting) and coffee with a subtle lace of cinnamon. The two were sensational, and every time I eat a slice of this moist carrot cake — or take a sip of coffee with a sprinkle of cinnamon — it takes me right back.

Here’s why we love it so much:

• The crust! My signature move with cakes that typically include nuts is to finely grind them rather than leave them whole. Instead of biting into a crunchy walnut, you’ll get a nutty, crisp exterior that has a slight crunch, but keeps the cake tender and moist!
• Cream cheese frosting! Hands down, this is my favorite frosting on the planet. Super creamy, luscious, and perfectly not-too-sweet. We recommend slathering on each individual sliced piece of carrot cake versus on top. Trust us, you get more fluffy cream cheese frosting to cake!
• Quick + simple! We are not professional bakers over here, so we want simple, easy to pull together sweets. It doesn’t get much easier than a loaf cake!
• Texture! Okay, let’s talk crumbs. This cake slices easily (a selling point!!), but is so unbelievably moist.

If you love carrot cake as much as we do, you absolutely must try our carrot loaf cake — it is life changing!

Ingredients For Carrot Cake Loaf

For the carrot loaf:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• Walnuts, finely ground
• Raisins
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Canola oil
• Vanilla extract
• Carrots, grated

Note: it’s the ground up walnuts that give this carrot loaf cake recipe it’s signature crust!!

For the fluffy creamy cheese frosting:

• Cream cheese
• Unsalted butter
• Vanilla extract
• Kosher salt
• Confectioner’s sugar

How To Make A Carrot Cake Loaf

1. Prep the loaf pan. Preheat oven to 375 F and place rack in the middle of the oven. Spray a loaf pan with baking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Sift together 1 ⅓ cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp Kosher salt, then set aside.
3. Finely grind in the walnuts. To grind walnuts, either place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a fine powder or place in a sealed Ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. Place ½ cup crushed walnuts in a small bowl with ⅓ cup raisins, then toss with remaining 1 Tbsp of flour and set aside.
4. Prepare the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat ¾ cup brown sugar and 3 eggs together on medium speed until very shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in 1 ¼ cup canola oil and 1 Tbsp vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients. Carefully fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Add finely ground nuts, raisins, and 1 ½ cups grated carrots, then fold once more until evenly distributed. 
6. Bake the carrot cake loaf. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, then bake for 60-70 minutes, or until evenly browned and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean with few crumbs.
7. Cool, then serve. Place pan on a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes, then remove loaf from pan (it should release easily when turned over) and place on the rack to cool completely. 

Okay, onto the fluffy cream cheese frosting!

How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) beat 8 oz room temperature cream cheese and 8 Tbsp softened butter on high until very smooth and completely blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tsp vanilla and a generous pinch of Kosher salt, then reduce speed to low and slowly add 1 cup sifted sugar. Continue to beat until sugar is incorporated and frosting is creamy, about 2 minutes. 

Et voila! Super easy, fluffy cream cheese frosting! Spread on top of cooled carrot cake loaf or…. slice the carrot loaf cake, then slather each piece with copious amounts of frosting. We prefer the ladder, as it results in much more cream cheese frosting per slice!

Can you freeze cream cheese frosting? Yes! Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in a refrigerator, then bring to room temperature to loosen up a bit before using.

Tips For The Best Carrot Cake Loaf

1. Grind the walnuts! While you can absolutely add more nuts to the batter if you like the crunch of nuts in carrot cake, we recommend following the instructions as written and grinding them finely. This will create a crispy crust that cannot be beat.
2. Spray the pan well. Before pouring the carrot cake batter into your loaf pan, make sure to coat well with nonstick baking spray. There’s a good amount of canola oil in the cake already — this helps to keep it super moist! — but the nonstick baking spray will ensure it comes out easily every single time.
3. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing. We know it’s tempting to cut into the carrot cake loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven, but it will slice more evenly if allowed to cool to room temperature before slicing.

If you’ve been searching for the perfect Easter or spring dessert, look no further! We make this carrot cake a few times a year and it is loved by all. You seriously will not believe the crisp texture to the edges of the cake that ground walnuts add. It’s for sure what makes this the best carrot cake ever!

If you make this Carrot Cake Loaf, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!

And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!

For more sweets, check out these easy dessert recipes:

• Dark Chocolate Chunk Browned Butter Blondies
• Copycat Magnolia Banana Pudding
• Cookie Butter Skillet Cookie
• No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie
• Milk Bar’s Crack Pie
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Carrot Cake Loaf Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

The secret to the incredible texture in this carrot cake loaf is ground walnuts! They give the exterior a crisp crust while keeping the center of the cake moist and nutty. The best carrot loaf ever, especially with homemade cream cheese frosting!

Prep20 minutes mins

Cook1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cooling Time10 minutes mins

Total1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baking with carrots, carrot loaf, cream cheese frosting, how to make cream cheese frosting, spring desserts

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 505kcal

Author: Ari Laing

Equipment

Standard 9×5 inch loaf pan

Nonstick baking spray

Ingredients

For the carrot loaf

• 6.3 oz all-purpose flour 1 ⅓ cups + 1 Tbsp, divided
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• 2.5 oz walnuts finely ground (see instructions), ~½ heaping cup
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups carrots grated

For the cream cheese frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• generous pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar sifted (important for no lumps!)

Instructions

• Prep the loaf pan. Preheat oven to 375 F and place rack in the middle of the oven. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, then set aside.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Sift together 6.3 oz (~1 ⅓ cups) flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ½ tsp Kosher salt, then set aside.
• Finely grind in the walnuts. To grind walnuts, either place in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a fine powder or place in a sealed Ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. Place 2.5 oz (½ cup) crushed walnuts in a small bowl with ⅓ cup raisins, then toss with remaining 1 Tbsp of flour and set aside.
• Prepare the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat ¾ cup brown sugar and 3 eggs together on medium speed until very shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in 1 ¼ cup canola oil and 1 Tbsp vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed.
• Fold in the dry ingredients. Carefully fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Add finely ground nuts, raisins, and 1 ½ cups grated carrots, then fold once more until evenly distributed. 
• Bake the carrot loaf. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, then bake for 60-70 minutes, or until evenly browned and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean with few crumbs.
• Cool, then serve. Place pan on a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes, then remove loaf from pan (it should release easily when turned over) and place on the rack to cool completely. 
• Make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) beat 8 oz room temperature cream cheese and 8 Tbsp softened butter on high until very smooth and completely blended, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and a generous pinch of Kosher salt, then reduce speed to low and slowly add 1 cup sifted sugar. Continue to beat until sugar is incorporated and frosting is creamy, about 2 minutes. 
• Serve with cream cheese frosting. Spread a generous even layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled carrot cake loaf. Serve with additional frosting, as desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 4834IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 2mg

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