Southern Carrot Cake Loaf with Pineapple

✨What you'll love about this recipe?

• Perfect for Easter or every other occasion - Carrot cake is a traditional treat for Easter, but you can make this sweet treat for your loved ones at everything from picnics, brunch gatherings, Mother's Day celebrations, and high teas.
• Not too sweet - I find traditional carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting too sweet. This loaf cake is not frosted with just the right amount of sweetness and a lighter texture than its classic counterpart.
• Basic ingredients - A complete list of ingredients is given in the section below. The only thing that you might not have in your pantry/refrigerator is the crushed pineapple, which is also very easily available at most American grocery stores (in the canned fruit aisle).

📋Recipe Ingredients

This carrot cake loaf with pineapple has a concise list of ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Before we get to mixing and baking, let me share a few key tips about the ingredients to ensure your loaf turns out perfectly every time.

• Carrots - we need shredded carrots for this loaf. I like to buy whole carrots, peel, and shred them myself. You can use a box grater or a food processor to grate/shred the carrots. The packaged shredded carrots are not as sweet and juicy as the fresh shredded ones.
• Pineapple - the original recipe (from a friend) has crushed pineapple in it. Though I have played around with the original recipe, the pineapple gets to stay. It adds moisture and sweetness that is divine. Just make sure to buy canned crushed pineapple in pineapple juice and not sugar syrup.
• Butter and eggs - I always recommend using room-temperature butter and eggs. Unsalted butter is preferred, but salted will work as well. I always use US large-sized eggs in my baking recipes (check out my chocolate chip zucchini muffins). Three eggs act as a binding agent and contribute moisture and richness to the loaf.
• Pecans - I have used pecan halves in the recipe and then chopped them before adding to the cake batter.

Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients along with the quantities.

📖Substitutions, Additions and Variations

• Nuts - instead of pecans, you can use chopped walnuts as well or completely skip them to make the carrot cake loaf nut-free
• Warm spices - use nutmeg or all spice in addition to the cinnamon in this recipe to increase the warmth from spices in your carrot cake loaf
• Add frosting or glaze - simple cream cheese frosting or a glaze made by mixing powdered sugar and milk can be drizzled on the top of the cooled loaf to enhance the look and sweetness of this loaf
• Whole wheat flour - I have made this loaf with whole wheat flour, and it is perfect! So, if you want to make an even healthier version, just swap the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat pastry flour

👩‍🍳Steps to make this recipe

Plan ahead: Allow time for your butter and eggs to come to room temperature before beginning this Southern-style carrot cake loaf with pineapple for the best texture and even mixing.

Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with butter and flour and line it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C.

Step 1: Set a fine mesh soup strainer/sieve over a deep mixing bowl and add the flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into it (Image 1). Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl.

Step 2: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the room-temperature butter and sugar. Fit the paddle attachment to the stand mixer and mix on medium-low speed until the butter and sugar are fully combined, light and creamy (Image 2).

Step 3: To the butter and sugar mixer, add the eggs (Image 3) and mix on medium speed, slowly increasing to medium-high, and mixing until well combined and almost pale.

Step 4: Add the sifted dry ingredients to the stand mixer and start mixing on low speed, slowly increasing the speed to medium-high. Mix until everything is combined and no dry flour is left (Image 4). Do not overmix.

Step 5: Add the shredded carrots, chopped pecans, and crushed pineapple (Image 5).

Step 6: Mix with your mixer on medium speed until fully incorporated (Image 6).

Step 7: Transfer the prepared carrot cake batter to the prepared loaf pan (Image 7).

Step 8: Bake in the oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the baked loaf cool on a cooling rack (Image 8) for a few minutes before slicing.

🫙Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions

• Store: This Carrot Cake Loaf slices stay fresh for 3-4 days when kept in an airtight container (a glass container with a secure lid works perfectly) at room temperature. For longer storage (though they rarely last that long!), transfer the slices to the refrigerator and gently reheat them in a toaster oven before serving. If using a microwave, limit reheating to no more than 10 seconds to maintain its delicate texture.
• Freeze: You can freeze the cake whole or sliced. For the whole loaf, wrap tightly in plastic wrap (I love my Chic Plastic wrap!), place in a freezer bag, and freeze. Alternatively, slice the cake and wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months and let it thaw at room temperature.