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A whole Carrot Cake Loaf has been decorated with cream cheese frosting and small flower petals and chopped pistachios. The loaf is on a small tray.
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Carrot Cake Loaf - Rohi Kāroti

A deeply spiced Carrot Cake Loaf with crushed pineapple in the loaf and the juice used a syrup for extra moisture. Add a cream cheese frosting for a decorated option too.
Course Baking
Cuisine Cake
Keyword carrot cake loaf recipe, carrot cake loaf recipe nz, carrot cake with pineapple, carrot cake with pineapple nz, carrot loaf, carrot loaf nz, carrot loaf recipe, te reo Māori
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 1 medium loaf

Equipment

  • 1 x Loaf Tin - 12 cm wide, 22 cm long and around 7 cm deep.

Ingredients

  • 227 g kēna paināporo (can of pineapple, crushed)
  • 1 C (200 g) huka hāura (brown sugar, tightly packed)
  • 1 Kiri ārani (orange zest, of one orange)
  • 1 tablespoon raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
  • 1 tablespoon tinitia kuoro (ground ginger)
  • 2 tsp hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
  • ¾ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
  • 1 tablespoon wanira (vanilla)
  • 2 hēki (eggs, size 6)
  • ½ C noni ōriwa (olive oil, or neutral oil)
  • 2 C (225 g) kāroti kua waruwarutia (grated carrot, 2 medium carrots or 3 small carrots)
  • 1 ¾ C (265 g) puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)
  • 1 ½ tsp pēkana paura (baking powder)
  • ½ teaspoon pēkana houra (baking soda)
  • ½ C (70 g) your favourite nuts e.g walnuts. Optional.

Cream Cheese Frosting – Pani Reka Kirīmi Tīhi (Optional):

  • ¾ quantity of my simple cream cheese frosting
  • 90 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
  • ½ C (80 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
  • 2 teaspoon (10 ml) wanira (vanilla)
  • 185 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese, make sure it has had at least an hour on the bench to come to room temperature, this will help make a nice, smooth frosting)

Instructions

Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 165 °C bake setting or 155 °C fan bake setting.
  • Line a tin 12 cm wide, 22 cm long and around 7 cm deep with baking paper.

Prepare the Pineapple:

  • Add a sieve to a small bowl or pot and strain the juice from the paināporo (pineapple).
  • The strained paināporo (pineapple) will go in the loaf and the juice will be used as a syrup to the baste the loaf after baking.

Make the Orange Spiked Sugar:

  • Add the huka hāura (brown sugar), kiri ārani (orange zest), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon), tinitia kuoro (ground ginger), tote (salt) and wanira (vanilla) in to a large bowl.
  • Using your hands, rub these ingredients together to release the flavour of the ārani (orange) and amiami (spices).
    You can also do this by smooshing it all with a fork or whisk.

Add the Eggs, Oil and Pineapple:

  • Break in both of the hēki (eggs) in to the sugar mixture.
    Using a whisk, whip it all together for around 30 seconds until smooth.
  • Drizzle in the noni (oil) as you continue to whisk for another 20 seconds.
  • Add the strained paināporo (pineapple), reserving the juice for later. Mix it.
    Grate the kāroti (carrots) directly in to the mixture.

Sift in the Dry Ingredients:

  • Sift in the puehu parāoa noa (plain flour), pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda).
  • Whētuihia te katoa - fold it all together.

Bake The Loaf:

  • Pour the mixture in to the prepared loaf tin and smooth out the top.
  • Bake for 55 minutes.
    Test it by putting a skewer in to the centre of the loaf. If it comes out with sticky batter on it, give it 5 more minutes and check again.

Baste the Carrot Cake Loaf:

  • Remove the rohi (loaf) from the oven once it is baked to perfection.
  • Using a skewer, poke holes all over the keke (cake) around half way down.
  • Using a pastry brush, baste ⅓ C of the reserved wai paināporo (pineapple juice) all over the rohi (loaf).

Soak up the Juices in the Oven:

  • Return the loaf to the oven, turn off the heat and leave it to soak in the wai paināporo (pineapple juice) for 5 minutes.

Serve the Carrot Cake Loaf Warm:

  • Remove the warm rohi (loaf) from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
    Then tip it on to a cooling rack to cool for a further 10 minutes before slicing.
  • It can be eaten warm like this with a smear of pata (butter).

Store the Plain Loaf:

  • Store it without the icing for up to 5 days in a sealed container in a cool cupboard.
    This loaf will get more complex in flavour as it sits and would be delicious toasted as well.
  • If you want to add the pani reka kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese icing), allow the rohi kāroti (carrot loaf) completely cool.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Make the simple cream cheese frosting according to the recipe.
    The quantities are ¾ of the original recipe but with the same technique.
  • If you want to add the pani reka kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese frosting) at a later date, this can also be put in to a sealed container and be kept in the fridge.
    It needs to be brought to room temperature for 20 minutes and then whipped briefly before using if you are doing so.

Decorate the Loaf:

  • Pipe, smear or do whatever you want to do to your loaf!
    I piped it on in fun squiggles and topped with a handful of chopped pihitāhio (pistachios) and some raupua putiputi (flower petals) but do whatever makes you happy.

Store the Frosted Carrot Cake Loaf:

  • Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.  
    It will keep well for up 5 days if it is kept cool enough.
  • In the hotter months you can store the decorated and uncut cake it in the refrigerator but bring it room temperature before eating.