Carrot Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp canola oil (or butter if you prefer)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 1/3 cup packed grated carrots
- 3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 box cream cheese
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160ºC (325ºF) and butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and sift together. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat together eggs, white sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. On low speed and with the mixer running, add the oil slowly and beat until combined. Turn off mixer.
- Fold in (by hand) carrots until combined.
- Fold in flour mixture just until combined. Don’t overmix. Fold in nuts.
- Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.
- To make the frosting: beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment,on medium speed for 1 minute until creamy and combined thoroughly.
- Add powdered sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy and smooth. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. You can add pinch of salt or lemon juice to cut the sweetness. Spread frosting over the top of the cooled cake.
- Decorate with whole walnuts .
- Store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Cake is best served at room temperature when frosting is a little soft.