Old-fashioned carrot cake meets a refreshing, cake-like twist with this easy Carrot Cake Pound Cake recipe. Perfect for a weeknight treat, this pound cake topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting has all the warmth of traditional shredded carrots in a simple loaf with a light cake-like texture!
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It’s no secret that we love carrot cake in our house. As a trained pastry chef with a busy family, I’ve found different ways to enjoy the flavor of carrot cake, whether it's in a carrot cake bundt cake or in a traditional old fashioned carrot cake. But sometimes, I need a quick and easy dessert to prepare, so I’m sharing this carrot pound cake recipe!
Easy Carrot Pound Cake Loaf
Carrot pound cake loaf is a creative twist on classic carrot cake mixed with traditional pound cake. This version simplifies the layered and frosted carrot cake into an easy-to-make loaf, combining the warm spices and moistness of carrot cake. Lighter than a typical pound cake but heartier than a standard carrot cake, it offers more of a cake-like texture that is easily adaptable for a variety of mix-ins!
Unlike making a layered carrot cake, this recipe comes together quickly and easily! Just mix your dry ingredients, then combine the wet ingredients. Mix together for a smooth batter, stir in shredded carrots, bake it in a loaf pan, and let it cool. Finish it off with a simple cream cheese glaze or if you prefer, a thick cream cheese frosting!
Carrot pound cake is perfect for any occasion. Enjoy a slice with coffee, topped with ice cream, or cubed into a truffle with homemade whipped cream!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients: It uses simple pantry ingredients. Nothing complicated here.
- Moist with a balanced flavor: The cake is super moist and flavorful, with a perfect balance of spices and sweetness.
- Versatile: It's versatile enough to serve as a dessert, a snack, or even a breakfast treat, along with a mug of your favorite coffee or tea.
- Keeps fresh: The cake keeps fresh for days when stored properly, making it a great make-ahead dessert.
What You'll Need To Make This Cake
- All-Purpose Flour - Provides the main structure for the cake, allowing it to hold its shape while mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
- Leavening Agents (baking powder and baking soda) - Help the cake rise, making it light and fluffy.
- Salt - Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients while balancing the sweetness.
- Seasonings (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves) - Adds warmth, giving the cake its signature spiced carrot cake flavor.
- Unsalted Butter - Adds richness and moisture, contributing to the cake's tender crumb.
- Sugar (granulated and light brown) - Both sugars sweeten the cake with the brown sugar adding a hint of molasses flavor and moisture (you can use dark or light brown sugar).
- Eggs - Bind the ingredients together, add moisture, and help the cake rise.
- Pure Vanilla Extract - Adds a subtle background vanilla flavor that complements the spices.
- Buttermilk - Contributes to the cake's tenderness and adds a slight tanginess.
- Shredded Carrots - Provide moisture and a slight texture to the cake, along with their natural sweetness. Use freshly grated carrots. Pre-shredded carrots lack moisture.
Easy swap: No buttermilk? For this recipe, add ½ tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and then enough milk to fill the cup to the ½ cup line. Give it a quick stir and let it sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Cream Cheese - Adds a tangy richness and thickness to the glaze.
- Unsalted Butter - Gives the glaze a smooth consistency with a buttery flavor.
- Powdered Sugar - Sweetens the glaze and helps it achieve a thick and pourable texture.
- Heavy Cream (or milk) - Adjusts the consistency of the glaze, making it the perfect drizzle for the cake.
How To Make Carrot Pound Cake
Before you begin: Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the long edges. Read the recipe from start to finish.
Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves into a medium mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
Cream butter and sugar: Add the butter and sugar into a large bowl or into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
Combine wet ingredients: To the butter and sugar mixture, beat in each egg one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour in the vanilla and mix until combined.
Mix the pound cake batter: Turn the mixer to low speed and alternately add the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined without overworking. Gently fold in the shredded carrots until evenly distributed.
Bake and cool: Bake for 65-75 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the cream cheese glaze: Beat the cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Then add mix in the powdered sugar and thin the glaze with heavy cream until pourable.
Glaze the pound cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, pour the cream cheese glaze over the top. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Don't Forget These Tips For A Perfect Loaf Cake
- Bring all the ingredients to room temperature to achieve a smooth batter that bakes evenly.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes. It’s an essential step for the ideal light and fluffy cake texture.
- Use freshly grated carrots. Pre-shredded carrots lack the moisture needed to make the cake tender. A small or medium grate works perfectly!
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows it to set so it doesn’t crumble when transferring or slicing.
- Glaze the pound cake only if it is completely cool. If it is still warm, the glaze may run off the cake.
A Guide To Your Favorite Mix-Ins
This recipe is a perfect base recipe to dress up with your favorite mix-ins. Here are some options to enjoy:
- Pineapple: Add ½ cup drained crushed pineapple to the batter for a moist, tropical twist that complements the carrot's natural sweetness.
- Chopped nuts: Fold in up to ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor.
- Coconut: Stir in ½ cup coconut flakes for a subtle sweetness and a chewy texture.
- Citrus: Mix in the zest from 1 orange to infuse the cake with a bright citrus note.
- Raisins: Add ½ cup raisins soaked in warm water or rum for added moisture and a pop of sweetness in each bite.
Tip: You can use a combination of mix-ins, but only use up to 1 cup total. More than that will affect the texture of the cake and baking time.
Storage & Freezing Tips
How to store pound cake: Keep the unglazed carrot pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If glazed, refrigerate the cake, covered, for up to five days.
How to freeze pound cake: Wrap the unglazed carrot pound cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature to serve. Add the cream cheese glaze after the cake has thawed completely for the best texture and taste.
Recipe FAQ
Your pound cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. The edges should also start to pull away from the pan slightly. This will take up to 65-75 minutes, depending on your oven.
Yes, pound cake traditionally has a denser texture due to a higher ratio of butter and eggs than regular cakes. It's also typically baked in a loaf pan, while regular cakes are lighter and typically baked in round pans.
Your pound cake might not be moist if it was overbaked or if there wasn't enough fat or liquid in the batter. Ensure you measure ingredients (I always recommend using a digital kitchen scale!) accurately and start checking the cake's doneness towards the lower end of baking time to prevent drying out.
While it’s not necessary, the skin of the carrot tends to be dry and bitter. For best results, peel the carrots before grating or shredding.
More Quick and Easy Single Layer Cake
I hope you love this Carrot Cake Pound Cake as much as we do and that it becomes a family favorite! Please leave a comment below, I love reading your feedback! And if you’d like to make this recipe later, don’t forget to pin it on Pinterest! Happy Baking!
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Carrot Cake Pound Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 9x5-inch loaf 1x
Description
Old-fashioned carrot cake meets a refreshing, cake-like twist with this easy Carrot Cake Pound Cake recipe. Perfect for a weeknight treat, this pound cake topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze has all the warmth of traditional shredded carrots in a simple load with a light cake-light texture!
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Pound Cake
- 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 226 (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 110 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 110 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 120 g (½ cup) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) shredded carrots
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 30 g (2 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Carrot Cake Pound Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F/190°C. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the long edges.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed and in three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the shredded carrots.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes until the edges begin to pull from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer on low speed, add in the powdered sugar, beating until completely incorporated.
- Add enough heavy cream until the desired consistency is achieved. Glaze the completely cake.
Notes
Storage: Keep unglazed cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or glazed cake refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Glazed or unglazed cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating or serving.
Carrots: Grate fresh carrots for this recipe. Do not use pre-shredded carrots.
Add-Ins: If you’d like to add nuts, raisins, or coconut, use a combination of about 1 cup total add-ins.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make this Carrot Loaf Cake. I’d love to see your creations and read your feedback. And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let’s make every occasion a sweet occasion!
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