Carrot Cake Bread with a Crispy Sugar Crust

Carrot Cake Bread, spiced with cinnamon and ginger, is a delicious quick bread for a snack time treat or a casual dessert. Brush the tops of the loaves with egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a crispy crust. Scatter a few chocolate chips on top for added interest or garnish each loaf with a few walnut halves before baking. No matter the finishing details Carrot Cake Bread is an easy way to create Carrot Cake deliciousness with a minimum of fuss.

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When I think of spring menus it is hard not to think about carrots. Maybe it is the contrast of feathery green leaves topping bright orange roots that causes carrots to sing of spring. Perhaps it is their flavor profile. Carrots balance the bitterness of winter with the fresh hope of warm sunshine in a gentle flavor that pairs well with sweet or savory. Then there are the spring displays of Easter bunnies, and those bunnies with their carrots. One thing leads to another and before long I have Carrot Cake on my mind.

To be honest, it isn’t just about spring. While the fresh flavor of carrots paired with warm spices makes Carrot Cake a perfect seasonal choice, Carrot Cake is also a part of nearly every birthday celebration at our house, no matter the season. In fact, Carrot Cake is a welcome addition to our table year-round. Still, if there is no special occasion it isn’t likely that it will be on the menu. Our favorite Carrot Cake is an easy enough recipe on its own, but once frosting and layers and decorations are added the amount of planning and effort involved can be prohibitive.

A little later in the year, when sun soaked vegetable gardens produce an abundance of zucchini, we regularly bake loaves of Zucchini Bread to enjoy at breakfast or snack time. The same sense of simplicity applies to loaves of Banana Bread, baked in response to the occasional urging of overripe bananas on the counter. Those quick breads are easy to prepare and not much fuss is made about their appearance. Stirred together and baked in loaf pans, they are often sliced warm from the oven. Why is it that I’ve never made a loaf of Carrot Bread with the same ease and spontaneity?

Carrot Cake Bread

Questions lead to action items. A quick review of my recipes for Zucchini Bread and Carrot Cake proves that there is very little reason at all. The two recipes really are quite similar. The quick bread calls for more flour and fewer eggs. I compromised on these ingredients and cut back on the amount of sugar in both recipes. I opt for the spice profile of the Carrot Cake and the baking protocol of the Zucchini Bread.

Then I make a last minute decision to brush the tops of the loaves with egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a crispy crust. A handful of chocolate chips scattered on top is another idea for a bit of added interest. You could also add a drizzle of Cream Cheese Frosting on top. Or, feel free to skip the sugar crust, chocolate chips and frosting and simply garnish with a few reserved walnut halves. No matter the finishing details Carrot Cake Bread is an easy way to create Carrot Cake deliciousness with a minimum of fuss. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Bread

Course: Bread, Dessert, SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Carrot Cake Bread, spiced with cinnamon and ginger, is a delicious quick bread for a snack time treat or a casual dessert.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup oil

• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

• 3 cups (15 ozs) flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 3 cups carrots, grated

• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

• A handful of chocolate chips, if desired

• A few walnut halves, for garnish

Directions

• Break eggs into a medium bowl. Separate a small amount of egg white (about 2 teaspoons) into a small cup or bowl and set aside. Beat together remaining eggs, oil and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar.
• In a large bowl stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger.
• Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and beat well. Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.
• Divide the batter between two greased 9-inch loaf pans. Add a few drops of water to the reserved egg white and beat lightly with a fork. Brush egg white mixture on top of the batter in the pans. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar evenly over loaves. Scatter a handful of chocolate chips over top, if desired. Alternately garnish each loaf with a walnut half.
• Bake at 325F for 60 – 70 minutes or until the loaves begin to brown and the top springs back when pressed lightly near the center.
• Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When pan can be handled easily, carefully remove bread from pan and cool completely.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• I often bake one large loaf for family and three mini loaves to give away. To make mini loaves: pour 1 cup of batter into 3 mini loaf pans (mine are from Wilton). That leaves three cups of batter to make a 9-inch loaf too. The mini loaves bake at 325F for about 45 minutes.
• To make this quick bread even more like a full blown Carrot Cake drizzle with a little bit of thinned Cream Cheese Frosting.