Description
This moist and flavorful Carrot Cake Loaf is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. It's made with grated carrots, sour cream, and a blend of brown and granulated sugars for a rich taste. The cake is topped with a smooth and creamy full-fat cream cheese frosting, making it an irresistible treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Loaf
- 200 g grated carrots (room temperature)
- 110 g oil (room temperature)
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 140 g sour cream (14-18%, room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice powder
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg powder
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 100 g butter
- 50 g full-fat cream cheese
- 180 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 175ºC (350ºF) conventional setting. Grease a 21.5 x 11.5 cm (8.5 x 4.5 inch) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Grate Carrots: Grate the carrots and weigh out 200 g. Set aside at room temperature to maintain moisture.
- Mix Sugars and Oil: In a large bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil. Stir well to create a uniform mixture.
- Add Eggs: Crack in the two room temperature eggs and mix until fully incorporated, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add half of the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Add Sour Cream and Vanilla: Stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract to enrich the batter and add moisture.
- Add Remaining Dry Ingredients: Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until you achieve a smooth batter.
- Fold in Carrots: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the grated carrots into the batter until evenly distributed, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
- Prepare for Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. For an even rise and neat top, run a butter knife through the center lengthwise of the batter.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester in the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. After 10 minutes, carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting Ingredients: Take butter and cream cheese out of the fridge 10 minutes before making frosting. Cut butter into cubes and sift the powdered sugar.
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 5 minutes to incorporate air. Scrape the bowl and beat again for 2 minutes for a smooth consistency.
- Add Cream Cheese and Vanilla: Add vanilla bean paste and cream cheese to the butter. Mix for 1 minute until combined and smooth.
- Add Powdered Sugar: On low speed, add powdered sugar in two parts, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down the bowl sides and mix for a final 2 minutes on medium speed until fluffy.
- Frost the Cake: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled loaf cake. Optionally, decorate with carrot-shaped sprinkles or your choice of decoration.
Notes
- Baking time may vary depending on loaf pan size; always check doneness with a toothpick to avoid under or over-baking.
- Using room temperature ingredients helps create a smoother batter and better texture in the finished cake.
- Grating carrots finely ensures even distribution and moisture throughout the cake.
- The line cut in the batter before baking helps control rising and creates an attractive loaf shape.
- The frosting is best applied once the loaf cake is completely cooled to prevent melting or sliding.
