Carrot Cake Bread
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Carrot Cake Bread is the ultimate Spring treat.
Well, that and my famous banana bread recipe!
I know carrot cake is slotted as dessert quick bread but who says you can’t enjoy it for a breakfast or snack?!
I’ve loved having this with my morning coffee lately, it’s the ultimate cozy situation and a total adult move.
This carrot cake bread mimics all the same flavors of a layered carrot cake but in an easier, fuss-free quick bread form.
It’s loaded with hearty carrots, prunes (dried plums), warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and it’s all topped off with a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting.
What makes this bread unique from the rest is that the cream cheese is not only part of the frosting, but cream cheese gets baked into the carrot cake bread as well.
Before you get skeptical hang with me.
Cream cheese helps to make the carrot cake bread soft, moist, tender and overall a magical experience.
Carrot Cake Bread Ingredients
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Kosher Salt
- Carrots, finely grated
- Cream cheese, softened (2, 8 oz. packages)
- Prunes, diced
How to make this carrot cake loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
- Fold in the grated carrots and set aside.
- In another bowl press the softened cream cheese into the bowl to smooth it out. Then pour in the sugar and incorporate the two ingredients together until smooth.
- Whisk in the eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and fold in the prunes.
- Pour into a prepared 9×5 loaf pan and bake.
- Let cool completely and then make the frosting.
Tips to make the best carrot bread
- Fresh grate the carrots using a box grater/cheese grater. This ensures maximizes moisture in the carrot cake bread.
- Spicing up the carrot cake bread with different spices is key. I like to use both cinnamon and nutmeg but you can also add in ground ginger too.
- Making it perfectly spiced is the goal. But, more isn’t always merrier! Try not to add in more spice than called for because you don’t want to steal the show from the natural sweet flavor of the carrots.
- Add the cream cheese INTO the batter. Yep! Secret to add an extra moist-factor.
- Have fun with the add ins! But be careful, don’t add TOO many.
- Choose between prunes, raisins or walnuts! Add in raisins (soak them in rum for ultra wow factor) or if you don’t live with anyone with allergies – add nuts!
- Toast up walnuts or pecans on the stove in a small skillet and add them into the batter or sprinkle on top of the cream cheese frosting.
- Don’t spread the cream cheese frosting on until the carrot cake bread is 100% cooled! (Typically takes ~1 hour for it to cool completely).
- The cream cheese frosting is sweet, tangy and oh-so perfect so the last thing you want it to do is turn into a frosting disaster on your kitchen counter and not on your carrot cake bread!
- Spray your loaf pan with Bak-Klene. It’s the best for baking! Highly recommend. Or, coat loaf pan with butter and a light dusting of flour.
FAQ
Why prunes? Are prunes healthy?
Because prunes are actually amazing gems that are so underrated. Yes, prunes are healthy! They are loaded with fiber, potassium, Vitamin K and add natural sweetness to this carrot cake bread. If you just can’t get behind prunes, use raisins, or leave dried fruit out completely.
Can you freeze carrot bread?
Yes you can. I recommend freezing it without the frosting. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag.
Can this bread be made gluten free?
I have not personally tested this with a gluten free flour but I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour.
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Carrot Cake Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 2 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt*
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated (~3 large carrots)
- 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup diced prunes (about 8 oz.) or raisins
Frosting
- 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- In a medium sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Fold in the grated carrots and set aside.
- In another bowl, using a rubber spatula, press the 8 oz. (1 package) softened cream cheese into the bowl to smooth it out. Then pour in the sugar and incorporate the two ingredients together until smooth.
- Then whisk in the eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until no more floury pockets remain. Lastly, fold in the diced prunes.
- Pour into a prepared a light colored aluminum steel 9"-x-5" loaf pan (spray with non stick spray) and bake for ~55-60 minutes* or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely and then make the frosting.
For the frosting
- Using a hand mixer or whisk, mix together softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled carrot cake and dust with cinnamon if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Add in 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if desired.
- Some ovens may take longer to bake, some may take a shorter amount of time. Anywhere from 55-65 minutes should be plenty of time. If baking in a glass pan, the bread will take longer to bake.
- To ensure your carrot cake stays moist, do not over bake the carrot cake.
- Store carrot cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- If sensitive to salt, reduce to 1/2 tsp.
These were great ! Moist perfect texture!!!! Just one thing is that the right amount of salt they were salty🤷♂️
Thank you:) So sorry to hear that! I used kosher salt, which I should have specified so I updated the post now. Most bread recipes use anywhere from 1/4 tsp up to 1 1/2 just depending on how much flour and other ingredients are used so I’d say feel free to reduce if needed, especially since the frosting has a pinch of salt too! xo, Tawnie
HI! I am planning on making this for Easter but am wondering if I can add crushed pineapples?
Hi there! I have never made it with crushed pineapple but know a lot of carrot cake recipes do add it in. I wouldn’t add more than 1 cup crushed. I hope it turns out yummy for you! xo, Tawnie
This looks and sounds delicious – I can definitely get behind the prunes, so this sounds a great addition.
Yay! Prunes are the best. Thank you so much Caroline. xo, Tawnie
This sounds so delicious. I love loaf cakes so bookmarking this one!
Yay! Thank you so much Helen!
Full of flavor and delicious. Amazing ingredients to making this amazing Carrot Cake Bread with cream cheese.
Thank you so much!!
We love carrot cake bread. It makes such a nice change from banana bread.
I agree! haha, thank you so much!
Mm I would love having this for breakfast as well!! Or dessert or anytime really. Seems like a great recipe – will save to try this weekend!
Thank you so much Emmeline!!