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Close up of slices of carrot cake bread with cashew frosting.
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Carrot Cake Loaf with Cashew Cream Frosting

Carrot Cake Loaf is tender and moist with plump raisins, crunchy walnuts and a cashew cream frosting. You can enjoy this carrot bread for dessert or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword carrot cake bread, carrot loaf
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 10 slices
Calories 326kcal
Author Leanne

Ingredients

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 4 tablespoons almond milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the loaf:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • ¾ cup coconut sugar
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 ½ cups almond milk
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup finely grated carrot
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ¼ cup walnut pieces

Instructions

For the frosting:

  • Soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes.
  • Drain the water and add the cashews to a high powered blender or food processor along with the almond milk, maple syrup and cinnamon. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
  • Cover and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to firm up.

For the loaf:

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
  • Add in the milk, oil, and vanilla, and stir together until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Stir in the grated carrots, raisins and walnuts.
  • Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and top with crusted walnuts (optional).
  • Store in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 days.

Notes

  1. The bake time depends on the size of your loaf pan. I used a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan and the bake time was 55-60 minutes. If you use a 9 x 5 inch or a 10 x 5 inch loaf pan, you will need to reduce the bake time slightly.
  2. To get the cashew frosting as creamy as possible, I recommend using a high-powered blender or food processor. If the frosting seems too thick, just add a little bit more milk. Be careful not to add too much as the frosting may become runny.
  3. Please don't skip the step of refrigerating the cashew cream frosting for a few hours or overnight. When the frosting is first blended together, it will be a little soft. Refrigerating it will give it time to firm up and reach a spreadable consistency.
  4. The total recipe time includes time to soak the cashews and for the frosting to firm up.

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1843IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg