Carrot Cake Bread

Carrot Cake bread is an easier version of the beloved cake. It only takes a few minutes to put together and tastes just as delicious without the work.

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This delicious carrot cake is perfect for all the Spring activities, including Easter and Mother’s Day, but it can really be made any time of the year since carrots are so available. It’s much easier to take to a potluck or family gathering since it is made in a loaf cake pan.

This perfectly spiced carrot cake loaf is topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting. It has all the flavor of classic carrot cake in an easy-to-slice quick bread.

What Is Carrot Cake Bread?

Carrot cake bread is an ultra-moist quick bread baked in a loaf pan. This easy quick bread has all the flavors of traditional carrot cake without the extra work of making a layer cake.

Carrot Cake Bread vs Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is a traditional layered cake, usually made in 9-inch round cake pans. It can be 2-5 layers of cake with icing between the layers.

Carrot Cake bread is a simple-to-prepare quick bread in which the ingredients are mixed, then the batter is poured into loaf pans or bread pans.

Why Make It?

• It’s easy. Just prepare the ingredients and toss them into a mixing bowl. Then, pour the batter into a loaf pan.
• No special tools or skills are needed. There is no need to decorate this bread, unlike carrot cake, which is usually decorated with frosting carrots. You don’t even need a mixer.
• It has lots of fiber, thanks to the carrots, nuts and coconut.
• Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert.
• It’s incredibly moist.
• It travels easier than a cake, so it’s easy to bring with you if asked to make a dessert for a special occasion.

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What You Need

• Sugar: Granulated sugar; if you want to substitute raw sugar, pulse it in a coffee mill or food processor to make the granules smaller.
• Oil: Vegetable oil or another mild oil.
• Eggs: Use large eggs.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is best.
• Baking soda: This leavens the bread to give it some height.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a great flavor and makes the kitchen smell amazing while the bread is baking.
• Ginger: We use all of the pumpkin spices for this bread. Ground ginger is an important component.
• Nutmeg: Use ground nutmeg or grate whole nutmeg with a microplane.
• Cloves: Ground cloves.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients in baked goods.
• Flour: All-purpose flour.
• Carrots: Shredded carrots. They can be grated in a food processor or on a box grater.
• Coconut: Shredded flaked coconut adds more flavor and fiber.
• Nuts: Choose walnuts or pecans, whatever you have available. You can also add raisins along with the nuts.

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For the Frosting

• Cream cheese: Be sure to soften it to room temperature.
• Butter: Always use unsalted butter when baking. The butter gives the frosting a creamy mouth feel.
• Powdered Sugar: Confectioner’s sugar is finely ground and gives the frosting a sweet flavor that is not granular.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the frosting a deliciously sweet flavor.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the frosting.

How to Make it

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the long side of a 9×5-inch bread pan. Form it into the pan so it covers the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the bread pan 2/3 of the way up the side.

Bake the bread for 45 minutes to an hour until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread to room temperature on a wire rack.

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The complete directions for the frosting are in our cream cheese glaze article. Here is a quick rundown.

• Thaw the cream cheese while the bread is baking and cooling.
• Use a hand mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese together.
• Beat the powdered sugar into the cream cheese with the mixer.
• Add milk as needed to thin it to the desired consistency.

Tips for a Moist Carrot Cake Loaf

• Use vegetable or canola oil. Oil creates a much moister loaf than butter.
• Use large eggs, not medium or small.
• Be sure to use fresh carrots. Old carrots will have less moisture in them. The same goes for the coconut. Don’t use dessicated coconut. Use fresh, sweetened, flaked coconut.

Tools That Make This Recipe Work

If you don’t already have these, this is where most people run into trouble.

• Mixing Bowls – Keep the wet and dry ingredients separate until it’s time to combine them. Skipping this step often leads to uneven mixing and overworked batter.
• Whisk – Blends the wet ingredients smoothly and helps distribute the spices evenly. Without one, you’re more likely to end up with streaks of oil or pockets of unmixed ingredients.
• Dry Measuring Cups – Measure flour, sugar, and other dry ingredients accurately. Eyeballing measurements is one of the fastest ways to end up with bread that’s too dense or too dry.
• Food Processor – Shreds the carrots in seconds with a consistent texture, so they bake evenly into the loaf. Hand-grating works, but it takes longer and usually produces less uniform pieces.
• Loaf Pan – Gives the batter the right shape and depth for even baking. Using the wrong pan can affect both the baking time and the texture of the finished bread.
• Cooling Rack – Lets air circulate around the loaf so it cools evenly. Leaving the bread in the pan too long traps steam, which can make the crust soft and soggy.

How to Store Leftovers

Wrap the bread with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

If you don’t frost the bread, it can be stored covered on the counter for up to 4 days.

Can carrot cake bread be frozen?

Yes. This quick bread also freezes well before frosting. Make a double batch and tightly wrap it with plastic wrap, and then a second layer of aluminum foil or freezer paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw a loaf in the refrigerator overnight. Then frost as desired.

Once you frost the bread, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Lemon Zucchini Loaf
• Black Forest Chocolate bread
• Orange Cranberry Pumpkin bread
• Orange Pineapple Bread
• Savory Zucchini Cheese Breads

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FAQs

If you enjoy the flavors of carrot cake but want another easy baked treat, give these Carrot Coconut Muffins a try. They have the same cozy spices and fresh carrots in a portable muffin form that’s great for breakfast, lunchboxes, or grab-and-go snacks.