Moist Spiced Carrot Bread With Brown Sugar

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 1 loaf (about 10 slices)
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 55–65 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (220 g) finely grated peeled carrots
• 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins (optional)

Do This

• 1) Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
• 2) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
• 3) Whisk brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla in a second bowl.
• 4) Stir dry into wet just until combined; fold in grated carrots (and nuts/raisins if using).
• 5) Spread batter in pan; bake 55–65 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
• 6) Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then lift out and cool fully on a rack.
• 7) Slice and serve (great plain, toasted, or with butter).

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Moist, tender crumb from grated carrots and yogurt (no dry quick bread here).
• Warm spices and brown sugar give a cozy, natural sweetness without being overly sugary.
• Simple, no-mixer batter that comes together in two bowls.
• Flexible add-ins (nuts, raisins) and easy to freeze for later.

Grocery List

• Produce: Carrots
• Dairy: Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, neutral oil (canola/vegetable), vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves (optional), walnuts or pecans (optional), raisins (optional)

Full Ingredients

Pan & Oven

• Nonstick spray or softened butter, for the pan
• Parchment paper (recommended), cut to fit a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional, but very nice)

Wet Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Carrots & Optional Mix-Ins

• 2 cups (220 g) finely grated peeled carrots (from about 3–4 medium carrots)
• 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup (75 g) raisins (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and preheat the oven

Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or softened butter. For easy removal, line the pan with parchment (leave a little overhang on the long sides so you can lift the loaf out later), then lightly grease the parchment.

Step 2: Grate the carrots

Peel the carrots and grate them finely using the small holes of a box grater (or a food processor grating disc). Measure out 2 cups (220 g) and set aside. Finely grated carrots melt into the batter as it bakes, giving you that signature moist, soft texture.

Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices until evenly combined and lump-free.

Step 4: Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs until the mixture looks smooth and slightly thickened, about 20–30 seconds. Whisk in the oil, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla until fully blended.

Step 5: Combine wet and dry (don’t overmix)

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir just until you no longer see streaks of dry flour. The batter will be thick. Overmixing can make quick breads tough, so stop as soon as everything comes together.

Step 6: Fold in carrots and any mix-ins

Fold in the grated carrots until evenly distributed. If using, fold in the nuts and/or raisins. Give the batter a final gentle stir to make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t hide any dry pockets.

Step 7: Bake, cool, and slice

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine, but you shouldn’t see wet batter). For extra accuracy, the center should read about 200–205°F (93–96°C) on an instant-read thermometer.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf out and place it on a wire rack to cool completely (about 45 minutes) before slicing for the neatest pieces.

Pro Tips

• Measure flour carefully: If you can, weigh it (260 g). If using cups, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off; packing flour can make the loaf dry.
• Finely grate the carrots: Thin shreds soften into the bread. Thick shreds can stay crunchy and create wet pockets.
• Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears: A few small lumps are fine; overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread dense.
• Prevent over-browning: If the top is getting dark before the center is done, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
• Cool before slicing: Hot quick bread is still setting inside; slicing too early can make it gummy.

Variations

• Orange-spiced carrot bread: Add 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest to the wet ingredients for a bright citrus note.
• Pineapple-carrot quick bread: Fold in 1/2 cup (120 g) well-drained crushed pineapple (pat dry with paper towels). This makes the loaf extra moist and sweet.
• Maple-nut version: Replace the granulated sugar with 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup and reduce the yogurt/sour cream to 6 tablespoons (90 g) to keep the batter thickness similar.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Once completely cool, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 7 days (bring to room temp or toast to refresh the texture). To freeze, wrap the whole loaf (or individual slices) in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per slice (1/10 loaf): 260 calories, 12 g fat, 36 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 4 g protein, 220 mg sodium. (Will vary based on mix-ins and exact brands.)