Photo by: Charmaine Tokic
A few weeks ago, I arrived at day-care pickup and spotted my girls happily finishing their afternoon tea. They were obsessed with this cinnamon carrot loaf, so much so, they grabbed seconds to munch on for the car ride home. My eldest instantly requested for mama to make at home.
After a little experimenting in the kitchen, this carrot loaf came to life. I must admit, it’s not exactly the same as day-care’s, but to be honest I think I like it even more. The texture of my version is like a banana bread – soft, gently spiced, and irresistibly moist.
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Loaf
- Freezer-friendly – make once, freeze in slices, and pop into lunchboxes.
- Hidden veggies – perfect for kids who turn their noses up at carrots.
- No fuss – doable in the Thermomix OR conventional method too.
- Versatile – add walnuts, sultanas, or even a cream cheese icing to make it a little extra.
The Secret to Moist Carrot Loaf
The magic combo of oil, eggs, and yoghurt gives this loaf its rich, tender crumb. I also threw in some crushed pineapple for that extra juicy sweetness and a tropical twist (plus it’s a nod to classic carrot cakes!).
Brown sugar lends that sticky caramel edge, while the carrots not only do they bring natural sweetness and colour, but they also lock in moisture and help bind everything together so no milk needed.
How to Make It
You’ll find the full recipe below with both Thermomix and conventional methods. Spoiler alert: it’s as simple as mix, pour, and bake. No stand mixer required – a box grater and wooden spoon work beautifully if you’re going old-school. You don’t want to over mix it, overmixing = more gluten = tougher cake. Mix until just combined.
Carrot and Cinnamon Loaf
Ingredients
- 150 g vegetable oil alt. coconut oil/light olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 180 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 130 g canned pineapple pieces (in juice, not syrup) drained
- ¼ cup (60 g) Greek yoghurt alt. sour cream
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger optional
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp bicarb soda
- 250 g plain flour
- 200 g carrot (approx. 2 carrots) peeled, roughly chopped for TMX / grated for conventional
- 50 g walnuts/pecans chopped – optional
Instructions
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan. Grease and line a loaf tin (approx. 10x20cm).
- Add carrot to bowl. Chop 5 sec / Speed 6. Scrape down bowl.
- Add drained pineapple pieces to bowl. Chop 2–3 sec / Speed 5 until crushed. Scrape down bowl.
- Add oil, eggs, brown and white sugar, vanilla, yoghurt, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Mix 10 sec / Speed 5.
- Add flour and bicarb soda. Mix 10 sec / Speed 4. Scrape down sides.
- Pour into prepared tin and bake for 60–70 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Cool in tin for 10 mins, then transfer to wire rack.
Conventional
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a loaf tin (approx. 10x20cm).
- Finely grate the carrot and crush the pineapple. You can pulse pineapple in a mini chopper or chop finely by hand.No need to squeeze out the juices – add them in.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, yoghurt (or sour cream), cinnamon, ginger, and salt until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the grated carrot and crushed pineapple.
- Sift in the flour and bicarb soda, then gently fold through with a spatula or spoon until just combined. (Add walnuts or pecans now, if using.)
- Pour batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Notes
- Make it nut-free for school lunchboxes, or add chopped pecans for a café-style twist.
- Can be frozen in slices for easy grab-and-go snacks.
- Feeling fancy? Drizzle with cream cheese icing for a dessert-worthy treat.
This recipe has quickly become a favourite in our home – whether it’s a quick brekkie, an afternoon treat, or a lunchbox surprise. I hope your family loves it just as much as mine!
👇 Let me know in the comments if you try it, or tag me over on Instagram – I’d love to see your bakes!