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Carrot Cake Loaf has all the flavors of carrot cake in a quick bread loaf. It’s moist, full of spices, and super easy to make.

I had a few carrots leftover from Spring Sweets Week. But it wasn’t enough for a full-fledged side dish. And I knew most would make some kind of carrot side. I mean, that’s where I started with this event. But I decided to use those last 2 or 3 carrots to make something I’ve never made before.

My apologies for the brief interjection. I write like I’m talking to you. And Word doesn’t like that at all!! Yes, I know writing the way I speak is not the greatest, but I want y’all to think you’re in the kitchen and we’re having this conversation. It does not like “some kind of carrot side” and wants me to just say carrot side.

But I think you appreciate the “some kind of” before the “carrot side” because that lets you know it’s not just A carrot side. But some form of a side dish made with carrots. Saying “a carrot side” doesn’t give the impression that I searched for a while to find something different and interesting to make.

What is quick bread?

This carrot cake loaf is a quick bread. Meaning it’s a bread that uses a chemical leavening agent (baking powder/soda) as opposed to a yeast or sourdough based leavening ingredient. They’re called quick breads because they do not require a lot of time to wait for the ingredients to do their thing before baking. Meaning, proofing or raising. You can mix all the ingredients together and then put it in the oven almost immediately.

Quick breads became very popular around the late 1800s with the introduction of baking soda and later in that same century baking powder. During the Civil War portable quick foods were in high demand. The war made skilled laborers scarce meaning bread bakers were not available to bake bread. Chemical leavening agents came into production around this time first for commercial use and then for home use. First baking soda and then later baking powder. This combined with the needs of the American Civil War made quick breads very popular.

How do you make carrot cake loaf?

I am using the stirring method in this easy carrot cake loaf recipe. That means you simply stir the ingredients together. I stirred the dry ingredients together, then the wet ingredients together, and then combined the two. Now, I know what you’re thinking. But sugar is a dry ingredient? Actually, it’s considered a wet ingredient because it dissolves into the liquid. But I’ll go into that in a bit.

The other two methods for making a quick bread are the creaming method and the shortening method or sometimes referred to as the biscuit method. Most of you are probably familiar with the creaming method. This is where the sugar creams with the butter or solid shortening. The shortening method is like making biscuits where the butter is cut into the flour. I haven’t tried this method with a quick bread. I have with cake, but not a bread.

Why is sugar a wet ingredient?

Well, it’s not ALWAYS considered a wet ingredient. For quick breads you want them to be tender, have a moist crumb, and not like a yeast bread. They’re more like cake than bread. So, to add sugar with the dry ingredients could increase the gluten content of the bread. Which isn’t good for tender, moist quick breads.

Adding the sugar with the wet ingredients inhibits the forming of unnecessary gluten in this carrot cake loaf recipe. How? Well, it sort of keeps the other liquids in the recipe busy, so they don’t get a chance to party with glutenin and gliaden to make gluten. This means your quick bread will retain its moisture and not get all dry and tough during baking. Baking is such chemistry!

Who invented carrot cake?

That answer is up in the air. Maybe it’s like a steamed pudding from the 1500s stuffed with carrots and meat. Or maybe it’s the 1800s recipe for a Gâteau de Carottes. Or it’s the popular cakes from Switzerland that are served especially for children’s birthdays. I know I asked for a carrot cake or two for my birthday cake.

They had a surge in popularity due to rationing during the Second World War. Sugar was in high demand at the time and people had to find other ways to sweeten cakes and desserts. Insert the carrot! It’s naturally sweet and a great way to add sweetness to baked goods.

What does carrot cake loaf taste like?

This is a moist carrot cake loaf recipe. And it has simple ingredients that are probably in your kitchen right now. It has a delicious blend of spices with just the right amount of sweetness. The finely shredded carrots add delicious flavor and sweetness to this moist carrot cake loaf.

This is a perfect Easter carrot cake loaf! Your family can nibble on it while the Easter egg hunt is going on. Or have it as part of an Easter breakfast board. This could have other baked goods, some fruits and spreads, maybe some waffles, too. Wouldn’t that be fun?

I made my carrot cake loaf with olive oil. It’s the oil I have on hand all the time. I haven’t bought a baking oil in forever. I like the flavor olive oil adds to baked goods. It’s not a strong olive oil flavor, but a depth of richness to the baked goods most can’t identify.

I put a basic glaze on top of my tasty carrot cake loaf. Glazes are something I’m not so great with. They taste good, but they’re always too runny. I must keep adding more and more powdered sugar to thicken it. Same thing happened this time, too. I almost went the cream cheese route but decided not to. I wanted the flavors of the cake to really shine. But you could top your carrot cake loaf with lemon glaze. That would be delicious, too.

Confession time. I overcooked mine. I had it at 350. And I even said to myself I should lower the temperature and cook it a little longer. I didn’t do this. So, my edges are a little crispier than I wanted them. But that’s what a glaze is for, right? I lowered the temperature and added more time so yours should come out perfectly delicious!

Carrot Recipes

• Candied Carrots from Devour Dinner
• Carrot Raisin Salad from Art of Natural Living
• Carrot and Pecan Salad from Palatable Pastime
• Carrot Cake Loaf from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Carrot Cake Waffles from The Spiffy Cookie
• Carrot Granola Muffins from That Recipe
• Carrot Kumquat Muffins from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Carrots Au Gratin from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Quick and Easy Pickled Carrots from Jen Around the World
• Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Carrots from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Spicy Vegan Carrot Dip from Magical Ingredients
• Vietnamese Zucchini and Carrot Salad with Peanuts from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

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