Prep time: 20 min.
Bake time: 40-45 min.
Yield: 1 loaf
Carrot Cake
210g all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
150g vegetable oil
160g light brown sugar
50g granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
95g crushed walnuts (optional)
180g fresh carrots, shredded (~3-4 medium-sized carrots)
Cream Cheese Frosting
226g cream cheese, room temperature
120g powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. milk
Carrot Frosting Design
60g cream cheese frosting
2 drops of yellow and red food coloring
1 drop of green food coloring
Instructions
Carrot Cake
Preheat the oven to 325F/162C. Grease and line a 9×5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a small pan on medium heat, toast the walnuts. Move them around occasionally, until they begin to lightly brown. Take off the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until they are combined. Add in one egg and whisk until well combined, approximately 30 seconds. Whisk in the second egg for an additional 30 seconds, and then whisk in the freshly shredded carrots.
Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Lightly fold into the wet mixture. When the flour is almost all combined, add in the toasted walnuts and fold until fully combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, and then finish cooling the loaf on a wire-rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with a stand mixer until completely smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until it is fully combined with the cream cheese. Then, add in the vanilla and milk.
Carrot Frosting Design:
Portion out 40g of cream cheese frosting into a small bowl, and 20g into another small bowl. To the 40g: add the yellow and red food coloring. To the 20g: add the green food coloring. Transfer each colored frosting to a piping bag. Spread the uncolored cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake once it has cooled completely. Then, pipe the carrots on to the cake. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
Keep this carrot loaf cake stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The cake will be best served on the day that it is baked, but will keep for up to 5 days.
If you make this recipe, I would love to see it and know what you think! Tag me on Instagram @doughlights and use #doughlights. Thanks for stopping by!
