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About This Recipe
This Carrot Cake Bread has all the flavors you love from classic carrot cake, but in a simpler, cozier loaf form. It’s moist, full of warm spices, and naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup.
I love this carrot cake loaf recipe because it’s super versatile. You can enjoy it plain for breakfast with coffee, as a sweet snack in the afternoon, or topped with my favorite whipped cream cheese frosting for dessert. The grated carrots add natural sweetness and moisture, while the raisins and pecans bring the perfect amount of texture and crunch.
Best of all, this recipe comes together in just a few minutes with simple ingredients. It’s freezer-friendly, easy to make, and just as delicious the next day (if not better!).
For more carrot cake-inspired recipes, try my Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake, Carrot Cake Blondies with Cream Cheese Frosting, or my Healthy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Cake Bread Recipe
- Ultra moist: This carrot cake bread is moist, soft, and full of cozy spices.
- Versatile: Light enough to enjoy for breakfast but sweet enough to have for dessert.
- Optional frosting: The creamy whipped cream cheese frosting is perfect when you want to make it taste more indulgent.
- Freezer-friendly: Freezer-friendly and great for make-ahead meal prep.
- Family favorite: Kids and adults will both love it!
- Carrots: Washed, peeled, and finely grated so they blend into the bread for the best texture.
- Greek yogurt: Adds protein and moisture. You can swap for sour cream if you don’t have Greek yogurt.
- Maple syrup: Adds a warm, natural sweetness. You can also use honey or agave.
- Mix-ins: I love raisins and chopped pecans, but walnuts, shredded coconut, or even chocolate chips would be delicious.
- Flour: I like using a mix of all-purpose and white whole wheat flour for a little boost of whole grains, but you can just use all-purpose flour if preferred.
- Spices: A cozy blend of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Feel free to add ground ginger or cloves if you like extra spice.
- Baking essentials: Oil (I used canola oil, but vegetable oil or avocado oil will also work), granulated sugar, eggs (room temperature), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whipped cream cheese frosting: A simple mix of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. You can also skip frosting for a lighter loaf.
- Gluten-free: Use a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
- Dairy-free: Swap the Greek yogurt for a non-dairy yogurt and use a dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting.
- Nut-free: Leave out the pecans/raisins or swap for seeds (like pumpkin or sunflower seeds).
- Lower sugar: Reduce the sugar slightly by using your favorite sugar substitute like Swerve or whichever granular sweetener you prefer (sweetener will be sweeter than sugar, so be sure to check the bag for measurements for how to properly adjust the amount of sweetener).
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. To a medium bowl, add both flours, the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
2. To another medium bowl, add the oil, sugar, and maple syrup; mix until combined. Whisk in the eggs. Then mix in the Greek yogurt and vanilla.
3. Add the grated carrots and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until no white streaks remain.
4. Finely chop the raisins and pecans and stir them into the batter.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake for ~45 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool, then remove bread from the pan to finish cooling.
7. Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Beat for a few minutes, until fluffy, starting on low and gradually increasing to high speed. Then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
8. Spread over the top of the entire loaf once cool, or with each slice when ready to eat, and enjoy!
- Room temperature: Store the bread (without frosting) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: If frosted, keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before eating for the best texture.
- Freezer: Wrap the unfrosted loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add frosting before serving.
Helpful Tips
🥕Finely grated carrots: Grate your carrots finely so they melt into the bread without making it chunky.
🥣Don’t overmix: Be sure not to overmix the batter. Mix until ingredients are just combined to keep the loaf tender.
🍞Easy clean up: Line your bread pan with parchment paper for easy removal and less cleanup.
🧊Let cool: Let the loaf cool completely before adding frosting, otherwise it will melt right off!
Do I have to add the frosting?
No, this bread is delicious plain, with a smear of cream cheese, or even just some butter. The frosting makes it taste more like a dessert.
Can I prep it ahead of time?
Yes, this bread can easily be made in advance! This bread tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together. Bake it the night before, store tightly covered, and frost before serving.
What’s the best way to shred the carrots?
I recommend the small side of a box grater. A food processor with a shredding disc works too, but you’ll want to pulse the carrots after shredding so they’re fine enough for the bread.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Carrot Cake Bread
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- 1.5 cups freshly grated carrots (170g) **washed, peeled and grated fine
- 1/2 cup canola (120g) any oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (96g)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (60g)
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (60g)
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup raisins (40g) chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans (56g) chopped
Dry ingredients:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90g)
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (56g) or more all-purpose
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice & nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (56g) softened
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar (180g)
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract + pinch of salt
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Instructions
- Prep: Make sure you have a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×5 bread pan with parchment paper (or grease + flour) and set aside.
- Grate carrots: Wash and peel the carrots, then finely shred (I used the small side of my box grater).
- Mix dry ingredients: To a medium bowl, add both flours, the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: To another medium bowl, add the oil, sugar, and maple syrup; mix until combined. Whisk in the eggs. Then mix in the Greek yogurt and vanilla.
- Combine: Add the grated carrots and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until no white streaks remain. Finely chop the raisins and pecans and stir them into the batter.
- Bake: Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for ~45 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool (for ~10 minutes in the pan), then remove bread from the pan to finish cooling. Slice & enjoy as is, with Greek yogurt, cream cheese spread, or frosting (store-bought or recipe above).
- Cream cheese frosting (optional): Beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Beat for a few minutes, until fluffy, starting on low and gradually increasing to high speed. Then beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Spread over the top of the entire loaf once cool, or with each slice when ready to eat, and enjoy!
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the bread (without frosting) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: If frosted, keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before eating for the best texture.
- Freezer: Wrap the unfrosted loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add frosting before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
