Carrot Loaf Cake Recipe

Today I’m making an Easy Carrot Cake Recipe. This cake is full of amazing flavors, has a soft and moist texture with lots of walnuts and sweet apricots and topped with smooth and delicate frosting. This easy to make carrot cake is ideal for Easter dessert, brunch with family or friends, or just a little snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients for the cake batter:

2 – eggs
150 ml – vegetable oil
180 g – sugar
250 g – grated carrots
170 g – all-purpose flour
1 tsp – baking powder
½ tsp – salt
1 tsp – ground cinnamon
½ tsp – ground nutmeg
¼ tsp – ground ginger
100 g – chopped walnuts
100 g – dry apricots

Ingredients for the frosting:

150 ml – cold heavy whipping cream
150 g – cold ricotta cheese
30 g – powder sugar

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Step 1

First, we need to clean the dry apricots. Cover them with warm water, let them sit for a few minutes then throw them in a sieve and let them air dry or dry them with a paper towel. Then cut them into small square pieces.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil and give it a quick mix with a whisk.

Step 3

Next, add the carrots and mix again using a spatula. You can use a hand grater or a food processor to grate the fresh carrots. Next, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and all the spices. Mix all the ingredients together using a spatula. You should not see any dry flour in your cake batter.

And finally, add the chopped walnuts and dry apricots. Give it one last good stir.

Step 4

Next, let’s prepare the baking pan. Today I’m using a glass bread loaf pan that I’m going to lightly grease with oil and add one tablespoon of flour. Next, lift and turn the pan as needed to ensure it is coated. Make sure to get rid of any excess flour before pouring in your cake batter, otherwise, you could end up with a dry pocket of flour in the final product.

Step 5

Transfer the cake batter into the baking pan, spread it evenly and bake at 350 F degrees for 60-70 minutes or until the skewer inserted into the cake comes out dry. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

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*I want to take a minute and point out that you can use different material baking pans. If you do, for example, use a metal baking pan, then the baking time will be different.  Check the readiness of the cake by its color. The middle of the cake will be firm if you shake the pan and, of course, the wooden skewer inserted into the cake should come out dry.

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Step 6

Let the cake cool in the baking pan for about 5 minutes or so, then using a knife, slice between the cake and the baking pan and take the cake out onto a cooling rack. Cool the cake completely before slicing or frosting the cake.

Step 7

For the frosting combine the whipping cream, ricotta cheese and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer whisk all together until you get nice even and fluffy consistency.

Step 8

Transfer the frosting into a piping bag. You can cut off the end of the bag and frost the cake, you can use your favorite large piping tip or you can use just a spatula to frost the cake. I’m using piping tip number 127.

Because the frosting contains a whipping cream it has a short shelf life, so I will recommend frosting the cake right before serving. If you wish, you can also sprinkle the cake with ground cinnamon.

The cake turned out very moist and tender, with a kick of spices and richness from the walnuts and apricots.

Make sure to watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and see how I make this Sourdough Rye Bread with Molasses! Want new recipe updates? Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Tips to make this Carrot Loaf Cake:

• Before making the cake batter make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.
• Before making the frosting make sure that all the ingredients are cold.
• Grate fresh carrots, using a grater or a food processor.
• Depending on the type of your baking pan, the baking time may be different. Always check the readiness of the cake with a skewer or toothpick. The skewer inserted into the cake should come out dry.
• Cool the cake completely before slicing or frosting the cake.
• I recommend frosting the cake right before you are going to serve it.
• You can use a piping bag or a spatula to frost the cake.

How to store Carrot Loaf Cake:

• Store the cake covered tightly with an airtight container, plastic wrap, or foil at room temperature for up to 1-2 days.
• If the frosting is added, store the Carrot Loaf Cake in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• You can freeze the carrot cake without frosting for up to 4 months. Once the cake has cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Make sure the entire cake is covered to prevent freezer burn. You can also put the wrapped cake in a resealable plastic bag for extra protection.

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If you try this recipe for Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #pastrymadness on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥

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