so carrot cake is like THE cake that is a true treat in my mind. i don’t know if it’s the cream cheese frosting or the multiple additions of raisins, walnuts, or even coconut/pineapple, but every time i hear or see or eat carrot cake, i want some more. this loaf is truly PERFECT for any day of the week as a breakfast, snack, or dessert, because it checks off all those boxes and fixes the craving, but it isn’t as heavy or sweetened as a full on cake might be. it’s a recipe that’s honestly just necessary, and i’m SO EXCITED to share it today!
i developed this carrot cake loaf on a whim after my mom’s birthday… she requested carrot cake for dessert, so we had some slices of traditional carrot cake with traditional ingredients in the house. i was tempted to go for one of them one night, but by the time i got home from work, they were gone & it was the best thing for me. it made me that much more inclined to develop this loaf recipe, & let me tell you, this CARROT CAKE LOAF DOES NOT DISSAPOINT.
the shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts all give the loaf the texture of a slice of carrot cake, having different chunks and chews in every bite. mmmmm. i might need to go grab a slice to get me through the rest of this post…
the loaf basically comes together like any other baking loaf or cake even. i mix the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients, & then mix those 2 together. the last step is mixing in the additions ~ the carrots, raisins, walnuts, anything else you choose to add in!
the loaf bakes on 350F for ~45-50 min, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. try your hardest to let it cool completely before slicing, so that it doesn’t crumble on you! it will be HARD to wait, i know. but it’s so worth it, because your loaf will be so moist and chewy & still have a little crunchiness on the top. plus, once it’s cooled, then you can frost it & the frosting will stay fluffy and stay where you put it.
a note on the cream cheese frosting ~ you can make this carrot cake loaf and eat it plain [not frosted] for breakfast or as a snack, or you can use my ‘paleo vegan cream cheese frosting’ to really complete the carrot cake situation. i found this dairy-free cream cheese [Kite Hill] — photo will be in favorites — at stores like Whole Foods, Heinen’s, Mariano’s, & it’s the real deal when it comes to substitutions. it’s creamy + has that cream cheese flavor, so i tested it in this frosting and it did the trick. the paleo vegan cream cheese frosting has that cream cheese, some ghee, vanilla extract, maple syrup, & a sprinkle of blended coconut sugar. it is a true cream cheese frosting, while being dairy-free & lower calorie for ya. & it totally makes this loaf to the next level!
anyways, i figure with Easter coming up, this recipe needed to go up this week so that we can all make it for Easter brunch [it’s soooo Easter-y] or just plain have it for the week!
so, what are we waiting for!! CARROT CAKE LOAF is here & it’s ready to party in your mouth.
INGREDIENTS » 
paleo vegan carrot cake loaf
› 3 eggs
› 1/2 cup coconut sugar
› 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted & cooled
› 1 tsp vanilla extract
› 2 cups paleo flour mixture [1 cup almond flour, 2/3 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour, 1/3 cup coconut flour, sifted together!]
› 1 tsp baking soda
› 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
› 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
› 1/4 tsp ground ginger
› 1/4 tsp salt
› 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots [raw or steamed, your preference!]
› 1/2 cup raisins
› 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
cream cheese frosting
› 6 tbsp dairy-free cream cheese [Kite Hill], softened
› 2 tbsp ghee, room temperature
› juice of 1/2 lemon
› 2 tbsp maple syrup
› 2 tbsp coconut sugar, pulsed in food processor
› 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE »
for the loaf:
- set oven to 350F.
- combine wet ingredients with mixer ~ eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract. then add coconut sugar & mix.
- in a separate bowl, combine your pre-sifted flours with the rest of the dry ingredients ~ baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt.
- once dry and wet ingredients have been mixed separately, incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients & mix well.
- finally, fold in the shredded carrots, raisins, & walnuts using a spatula or spoon.
- pour batter into a parchment-lined or greased bread pan.
- bake on 350F for ~45-50 min, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
for the frosting:
- place cream cheese, ghee, vanilla, lemon juice, coconut sugar, + maple syrup in a mixing bowl. using electric mixer, whip all ingredients together until combined & visibly fluffy frosting has been achieved!
- frost on a completely cooled carrot cake loaf, or just frost each individual slice.
- store in refrigerator.
rachel tiedmann 