Description
Delicious and moist carrot cake loaves, perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt (optional)
- 2 1/4 cups coarsely grated carrots (packed loosely)
- 1 cup raisins (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup diced nuts (such as walnuts or pecans, optional)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (half of one stick)
- 1 1/2 cups+ confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F; spray loaf pans with floured cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the oil, eggs, buttermilk, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and whisk vigorously until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, optional salt, and stir to incorporate; don’t overmix.
- Stir in the carrots.
- Stir in the raisins and optional nuts.
- Pour batter into prepared pans, making sure not to fill any pan more than halfway full because this batter rises considerably.
- Bake the two loaves (9×5 and 8×4) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is set in the center, golden, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While cakes cool, make the frosting.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, butter, and beat to soften and combine, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Add additional sugar as desired for thicker frosting.
- Spread frosting over the tops of the cooled loaves.
- Slice into 3/4-inch wide slices and serve. I yield 9 to 10 slices from a 9×5 loaf.
Notes
- The buttermilk is already salted, so I omitted adding additional salt.
- You can choose any combination of loaf pan sizes, tube or Bundt cake pans, or muffin pans.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 70mg