Carrot Cake Without Cream Cheese Frosting
Moist carrot cake loaf with warm spices and smooth vanilla frosting. A light, simple twist on the classic carrot cake without cream cheese.
Servings 12 serves
Calories 346kcal
Ingredients
Cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- ½ cup 130g plain yogurt, or Greek-style yogurt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups shredded carrot, about 1 large carrot
- ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp whole milk, or water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Line a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, yogurt, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
- Add Carrots: Mix in the shredded carrot until distributed.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Add Walnuts: Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed through the batter. The mixture will be thick.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Frosting
- Sift and Combine: Sift powdered sugar into a medium mixing bowl to remove lumps.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until the frosting is smooth, thick, and spreadable.
- Frost Cake: Spread the vanilla frosting evenly over the cooled carrot cake.
- Slice and Serve: Once the frosting has set, slice and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerate: For longer storage, keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze whole or slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 2788IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg