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Sourdough Carrot Cake Loaf

Amy
A delicious loaf of spiced, carrot-flavored quick bread made with sourdough discard and perfect for any carrot-cake lovers. The creamy topping adds a delicious sweetness to this moist carrot cake loaf.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Bread, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 1 9 by 5 loaf

Ingredients
  

Carrot Cake Loaf

  • 120 grams sourdough discard see recipe note, about 1/2 cup
  • 65 grams vegetable oil any neutral flavored oil works, about 1/3 cup
  • 80 grams plain yogurt sour cream can be substituted in a pinch, about 5 Tablespoons
  • 2 large eggs about 100 grams
  • 4 grams vanilla extract about 1 teaspoon
  • 200 grams all purpose flour about 1 1/3 cups
  • 200 grams brown sugar about 1 cup
  • 5 grams baking soda about 1 teaspoon
  • 5 grams baking powder about 1 teaspoon
  • 7 grams salt about 1 teaspoon
  • 4 grams ground cinnamon about 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1 gram ground ginger about 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 gram ground nutmeg about 1/2 teaspoon
  • 165 grams carrots, shredded see recipe note, about 1 1/2 cups
  • 100 grams chopped nuts or dried fruit optional, about 3/4 cup

Cream Cheese Topping

  • 56 grams unsalted butter softened, about 4 Tablespoons
  • 28 grams cream cheese softened, about 1 oz
  • 120 grams powdered sugar about 1 cup
  • 15 grams heavy cream as needed, about 1-2 Tablespoons
  • 2 grams vanilla extract about 1/2 teaspoon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

Sourdough Carrot Cake Loaf

  • Preheat oven to 425ºF and line a 9 by 5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • To a large measuring cup, whisk together the liquid ingredients: sourdough discard, vegetable oil, plain yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.
  • Shred the carrots in a food processor or grate them on a box grater. Set aside.
  • To a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add the shredded carrots and mix with a spoon to combine and disperse the carrots throughout the flour.
  • Pour the liquid mixture on top of the flour/carrot mixture and gently stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup chopped fruit, nuts or a combination of both if desired.
  • Spread the carrot cake loaf batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 425ºF. Then reduce the temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for 40-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick or sharp knife in the center to check for doneness. If it comes out "clean" with no crumbs, it is ready. If it comes out wet, let it bake for another few minutes and check again.
  • While the loaf cools, prepare the cream cheese topping.

Cream Cheese Topping

  • To a small bowl, whip the unsalted butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Whip together. Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Continue whipping until light and fluffy. Add a little more heavy cream as needed if the topping is too thick.
  • Spread the cream cheese topping on the cooled loaf and enjoy!

Notes

Carrots: The best carrots for this recipe are traditional, large and long carrots. Peel and grate them (or use a food processor) for best results. You can also use baby carrots. I do not recommend pre-shredded carrots which you can buy at the grocery store. They do not hold the moisture needed for this recipe and don't melt into the loaf as well.
Sourdough Discard: I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard (or even young sourdough starter) in this recipe. I find it doesn't give an overpowering "sour" aftertaste to the finished loaf. If you want more sour flavor, use discard that has been sitting longer in your fridge.
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