Carrot Cake Loaf Cake

Updated: Mar 26, 2026 by christina.marsigliese · 40 Comments

I don't say this lightly: this is the best Carrot Cake Loaf Cake you will ever have with the most remarkable soft, moist and almost fluffy texture that melts in your mouth. Despite being so soft, it still has structure and integrity. It is very flavorful with my favorite blend of warm spices and a hint of vanilla. You will love how easy it is to make without a mixer and in under 10 minutes. I top it with a thick and fluffy cream cheese frosting that pairs beautifully with the carrot loaf since it isn't too sweet. If you love carrot cake, I know you will love this recipe. You might also love my Ultimate Carrot Cake, my Carrot Cake Cupcakes and try these Carrot Cake Cookies too!

carrot cake loaf cake sliced on cooling rack with cream cheese frosting

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Easy quick bread recipe - this carrot cake bread recipe is so simple with basic pantry ingredients and no mixer needed. You can make the batter all by hand with just a bowl and a whisk. The most tedious part is just grating the carrots.
Make ahead - you can prepare this carrot loaf up to a day in advance and store it at room temperature. If you add the frosting, keep it refrigerated and it will still be so soft. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Moist crumb - this recipe makes very moist carrot loaf with a soft texture that stays moist for days without drying out even while in the fridge.
Soft texture - you won't believe how incredibly soft and fluffy the crumb is.
Less oil - let's clear something up: oil does not make cakes moist. Moisture (in the form of liquid) makes things moist. Oil makes things soft and tender which gives the perception of moistness. So many carrot cake recipes have too much oil that it makes the texture gummy, pasty and, well, oily. My loaf recipe has just ⅓ cup of oil vs. upwards of ⅔ cup that you might find in most other recipes.
Flavorful spice cake - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice adds such a wonderful flavor.
Fluffy cream cheese frosting - say goodbye to runny cream cheese frosting because this one is thick and fluffy so it holds up tall on this stunning loaf cake. It pairs really well with the loaf that isn't too sweet.

INGREDIENTS FOR CARROT CAKE LOAF CAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works just fine in this carrot cake recipe for a moist and soft texture.
Spices - a fragrant blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger is just right here! I've played with the blend of spices a lot and this is the combination I love the most for carrot cake. Feel free to leave out the allspice if you don't have it, and replace it with a little more cinnamon.
Oil - liquid oil will keep this cake soft even when it's refrigerated to preserve the cream cheese frosting. That's because oil is liquid even when cold whereas the saturated fats in butter are hard when cold. I prefer sunflower oil for its clean flavor, but you can use canola oil, refined avocado oil, light olive oil or vegetable oil.
Granulated sugar - granulated sugar keeps this cake tender and moist.
Brown sugar - brown sugar adds rich molasses undertones to complement the sweet spices in this cake. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Eggs - two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.

top view of sliced carrot cake loaf cake on cooling rack with cream cheese frosting

carrot cake loaf cake batter in loaf pan before baking

Sour cream - use full fat sour cream to add tanginess to balance the earthy carrots and the acidity will react with the baking soda. You can also use full fat plain Greek yogurt.
Grated carrots - you will need just under 2 cups of shredded carrots from 2-3 medium carrots. Make sure you grate them on the finer side of your box grater.
Cream cheese - carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is a classic combination and this loaf is no different. It tastes wonderful and you just need 3 tablespoons from a block of cream cheese. Avoid using spreadable or whipped cream cheese which has a higher moisture content and will affect the consistency of the frosting.
Butter - use unsalted butter to make the frosting and ensure it is completely soft.
Powdered sugar - it's also called icing sugar or confectioner's sugar. Make sure you sift it before making the frosting since those pesky lumps can sometimes never break down. Sifted icing sugar will give you a fluffier frosting.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). First grate your carrots. Grate the carrots on the fine side of a box grater and measure it out. Set it aside.
STEP 2). Make the loaf cake batter. Combine wet ingredients. Combine eggs, both sugars, oil, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to blend until smooth. Add grated carrots and stir them in evenly.
STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices into another medium bowl and whisk to blend them together evenly. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold them in gently until evenly combined.
STEP 4). Spread into pan. Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Use a butter knife to draw a line through the center of the batter down the length of the pan (this helps guide the split as the loaf bakes so it cracks more evenly). Take a butter knife and insert it into the top of the batter in the loaf pan and run it a straight line down the middle of the batter.
STEP 5). Bake for 45-50 minutes until evenly browned on top and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 20 minutes. Then, gently remove the loaf from the pan using the overhanging parchment and let it cool down completely.
STEP 6). Make the cream cheese frosting. Combine soft butter and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and whip using an electric hand mixer on medium high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix in cream cheese until very fluffy and pale. Mix in vanilla and milk. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled loaf and top with carrot sugar decorations if desired.

HOW TO MAKE CARROT LOAF CAKE (watch the video below in the recipe card for a full tutorial)

Combine eggs, sugars, and oil in a large mixing bowl.

Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix well.

Mix in grated carrots.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and fold them in gently.

Spread batter into prepared loaf pan.

Draw a line through the middle of the batter down the length of the pan.

spreading cream cheese frosting over cooled carrot cake loaf cake

Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled carrot cake loaf cake.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CARROT CAKE BREAD

Shred the carrots on the finest side of the grater. The key to a soft and fluffy carrot loaf cake is to have the carrots bake into the crumb. If you coarsely grate the carrots, then they will not bake as quickly and will stay as threads through the cake which can get stuck in your teeth. For maximum flavor and the best texture, you'll need to grate them finely.
Mix carrots with the liquid ingredients first. I've seen a lot of recipes that say to mix the carrots in at the end after the dry ingredients, but this can lead to over-mixing which will create more dense and gummy texture. Treat the carrots as a liquid ingredient and add them in at the beginning.
Measure flour accurately. Too much flour can make this cake feel more dry and create a coarser texture. For the best results, weigh your flour using a kitchen scale.
Sift the dry ingredients. Sifting the flour will break up any lumps and make it easier for them to incorporate into the batter and minimize the amount of mixing required. It also distributes the baking powder and baking soda evenly so that the cake rises evenly during baking.
Do no over-mix on the last step. Once the dry ingredients are just incorporated and the batter looks uniform, STOP mixing. Over-mixing this batter can lead to a dense loaf.

carrot cake loaf cake slice in half showing soft crumb on cooling rack

RECIPE FAQ

What type of oil is best for carrot cake loaf cake?

Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. For oil-based cakes, I almost always prefer sunflower oil because it has a very neutral and clean taste. This recipe will work with any liquid oil, including canola (rapeseed) oil, peanut oil or even olive oil.

What spices are in carrot cake?

My favorite blend of spices for carrot cake are cinnamon (in the highest quantity), ginger, allspice and nutmeg. It's such a wonderful fragrance and will make your house smell amazing! You can use clove if you like, but I find it is too overpowering for carrot cake. Clove belongs in gingerbread.

What is a substitute for sour cream?

If you don't have sour cream, you can replace it with full fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche -- a type of fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and sour cream.

How do I know when my carrot cake loaf cake is finished baking?

This carrot loaf is ready when the top is evenly browned, risen, cracked at the surface and it feels firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

What is the secret to super moist cake and how do I make my cake more moist?

It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.

carrot cake loaf cake slice on a plate with bite and fork

How do you add moisture to carrot cake?

A bit of oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.

Why is my carrot cake bread dry?

Too much flour and over-mixing makes cakes dry. For the best results, weigh your flour using a kitchen scale. Also be careful not to over-mix on the last step.

Can I make carrot cake loaf in advance?

This carrot cake bread is wonderful because it stays moist for days, so you can make it a day in advance and still be a star.

Does more oil make cakes moist?

Oil is fat. Moisture comes from water. Oil does not contain water. So then what's the deal? Well, oil makes cakes soft and that gives the perception of moistness. It keeps the crumb tender. If there is too much oil, then the cake will be dense and heavy and air bubbles will not be able to sustain themselves in the batter.

How to store oil for baking?

One of the most important things to note when baking with oils is to use the freshest oil possible. You can easily ruin a recipe if your oil is rancid, and you will be so upset that you wasted all the other ingredients! Store oil in a cool, dry and dark place away from sunlight. Do not store your oil under the sink because it can get hot under there after long periods of running hot water. It's best to buy oil that is packaged in dark green bottles as opposed to clear glass or plastic which do not provide much of a barrier to light. Light and heat can trigger oxidation reactions, and it's these reactions that cause the fat molecules in oil to taste rancid. Rancidity can be detected by a soapy taste.

STORING AND FREEZING

How do I store carrot cake loaf cake?

Due to the cream cheese in the frosting which has a high moisture content, this cake needs to be refrigerated. The good news is that since the loaf cake is made with oil (not butter), it will remain soft even when cold. Cover the cake well and store in an airtight container in the fridge. For the best experience, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Can I freeze carrot loaf cake?

Yes, you can wrap the entire loaf without the frosting or wrap individual carrot cake loaf slices in plastic wrap and then again in foil and freeze for up to 3 months in a resealable freezer bag.

EXPERT TIPS FOR THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

So many times I hear from home bakers that their cream cheese frosting is runny. This one is NOT! This frosting is so thick, fluffy and luscious!

The key is to not use too much liquid since cream cheese is almost 60% water anyway! Also it is important to use the right ratio of butter to cream cheese. That ratio is about 1:2. One part butter to 2 parts cream cheese.
Hold back on the sugar! Too much sugar will not only make it taste way too sweet, but it will make it more runny since sugar binds water and turns into a syrup.

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