Eggless Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Scale
Ingredients
Eggless Carrot Loaf Cake
- 1/2 cup neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1/2 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup candied ginger, chopped into small pieces
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional for decorating
- 1 (12-inch) piping bag
- French star tip size #4
- Thin carrot strips
- Rosemary sprigs
Method
Make the Eggless Carrot Loaf Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, add the oil, butter and sugars, and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Add the yogurt and vanilla extract and whisk again until well combined and smooth.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices like ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Whisk until just combined; there may be some specks of flour.
- Add the carrots, coconut, walnuts and candied ginger, and mix well to combine with a rubber spatula.
- Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, making sure it adheres to the pan walls with an overhang for easy removal.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smoothen the top with a spatula.
- Gently bang the loaf pan a couple of times against a surface to remove any air bubbles in the batter.
- Place the pan onto the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Place a piece of aluminum foil on top at the 45 minute mark to keep the top from getting too dark.
- Check for doneness at the 1 hour mark by poking the middle of the loaf with a sharp knife. If the knife comes out clean, the loaf is done. If there is wet batter, then it needs about 10 more minutes.
- Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and cool completely for about an hour. Remove the loaf from the pan using the parchment paper overhang.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and butter, and whisk well until smooth and homogenous.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and whisk until well combined.
Finish the cake
- Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the loaf. Or, if you’d like to decorate it, add the cream cheese frosting to the piping bag with the tip attached and secure the top. Pipe the frosting onto the loaf.
- Roll each of the thin carrot strips tightly and place them on top of the frosting. Add rosemary sprigs to mimic abstract carrots.
Note:
Store the loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, bringing slices to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Where can I find desiccated unsweetened coconut?
- Desiccated unsweetened coconut can be found at your local grocery store or online.
Where can I find candied ginger?
- Candied ginger can be found at Trader Joe’s or at your local grocery store or online.
What kind of loaf pan should I use?
- Use this loaf pan for your loaf cake needs! I have this pan and used it for years.
What is the best way to store the cake? And the leftovers?
- Store the cake cut into slices and stored in a tupperware, outside for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for upto a week. Store the slice at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating it.
What kind of french star tip should I use if I want to do decoration like the pictures?
- Use a french star tip from Ateco. I have the set and have used it for many years now.