Orange Glazed Carrot Loaf

By Mariealicerayner @MarieRynr
 
Back in the 1970's, when I was first married, my mother-in-law gave me a little handwritten notebook for Christmas filled with all of her tried and true recipes. These were the things she had always made for her family.  That was my favorite Christmas gift of all time.
I still have it, although the pages are now splattered stained and brittle from use. It is almost fifty years old! This recipe Carrot Loaf quick bread recipe which I am sharing with you today comes from that little notebook and has long been a family favorite!
 
This is a sturdy loaf, not a cake.  It is not meant to be a cake, but more like something in between a muffin and a cake. A loaf that is perfectly at home on the tea table, with a dense crumb and texture.  Not overly sweet.
There is no cream cheese frosting. It doesn't need one.   It is beautiful served simply sliced and on it's own, but when you spread it with butter, it is even tastier. I do not know if they spread butter on tea breads in other countries, but here in Canada it is a very common thing!
 
The sweet/tart orange and almond glaze is my own addition.  It was adapted from a poppyseed bread recipe that I found in one of my cookery books entitled Beyond Parsley, a Junior League cookbook which was published back in 1984.  Those Junior League cookbooks are the best!
I thought this simple glaze would work very well on this carrot loaf and I was right. Since the loaf itself is not overly sweet, it adds a lovely touch.  Slightly sweet and tangy.  Orange and carrot go together very well.  Prepare to fall in love!
 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ORANGE GLAZED CARROT LOAF
Simple ordinary baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing unusual or out of the ordinary here.
  • 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (75g) raisins
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) flavorless oil
  • 1 large free range egg
  • 2 cups (200g) grated carrot
For the glaze:
  • 1/3 (63g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 cup (30ml/1 fluid ounce) orange juice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

 
You can totally leave the raisins and the nuts out of the recipe and the loaf will still be moist and delicious. Today I only used raisins because I had no walnuts.  You can also leave off the glaze if you wish.
I grate the carrots on the largest holes on my box grater. I also peel the carrots first.  Carrot peel has a most unappetizing color.
My late mother-in-law did not use cardamom. That is my addition. I happen to think it goes very well in this recipe with its slight citrus undertones. 
Everything else is pretty self-explanatory, but if you do have any questions about any of the ingredients, don't hesitate to post a query in the comments section!
 
HOW TO MAKE ORANGE GLAZED CARROT LOAF
It really doesn't get much better than this.  Do not overbake. The batter will be quite thick. If you think it is too thick, stir in a tiny bit of extra milk.


Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. butter and flour the bottom of a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin. Alternately line the tin with baking paper. (I buy parchment loaf tin liners which work fabulously.)Combine all of the ingredients for the loaf in a large bowl, mixing together just to blend with no dry streaks.


  Spoon in the prepared pan, leveling the top with the back of a spoon.


Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Heat the glaze ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar melts. Spoon this glaze over the hot loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven.Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.I like to leave this for 24 hours before cutting into slices to serve. This will keep for several days, tightly wrapped. It also freezes very well.


 
This has always been one of my favorite quick breads. I have been baking it since the 1970's and really haven't changed it much since then, except to add the glaze.  
It is moist and tender and delicious.  I love adore it spread with softened butter.  Not as sweet as carrot cake but every bit as tasty!  You can't go wrong with this one!
 
We love quick breads here in The English Kitchen. They are lovely served with hot cups of tea or even made into tea sandwiches with some cream cheese spread in the center.  Here are a few other favorites of mine! 

BANANA NUT BREAD - This is a really good, simple banana bread. I love to enjoy it cut into thick slices and spread with butter.  Real butter. Toasted, spread with butter or creamed honey.  Again, delicious. Because the bread is not overly sweet any number of toppings go very well with it. It also goes great in a bread pudding  if it happens to go stale.

 
ELIZABETH'S DATE & NUT LOAF - This is my late mother-in-law's recipe for a deliciously moist and tender crumbed tea bread.  It is studded generously with lots of sticky dates and crunchy toasted walnuts.  Beautiful served thinly sliced and buttered, next to a hot cup of tea.  
Yield: 1 (9 by 5-inch) loafAuthor: Marie Rayner

Orange Glazed Carrot Loaf

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 MYour favorite cake in a loaf. This is beautiful served sliced into thin slices and buttered with softened butter, accompanied with a nice hot cuppa. Moist and delicious. An optional glaze can be spooned over top when it comes out of the oven for even more flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (75g) raisins
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) flavorless oil
  • 1 large free range egg
  • 2 cups (200g) grated carrot
For the glaze:
  • 1/3 (63g) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 cup (30ml/1 fluid ounce) orange juice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. butter and flour the bottom of a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin. Alternately line the tin with baking paper. (I buy parchment loaf tin liners which work fabulously.)
  2. Combine all of the ingredients for the loaf in a large bowl, mixing together just to blend with no dry streaks.
  3. Spoon in the prepared pan, leveling the top with the back of a spoon.
  4. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Heat the glaze ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar melts. Spoon this glaze over the hot loaf as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  6. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. I like to leave this for 24 hours before cutting into slices to serve. This will keep for several days, tightly wrapped. It also freezes very well.
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