Step 1

Preheat oven to 425ºF and line a 9 by 5 loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

To a small bowl whisk together the liquid ingredients: sourdough discard, vegetable oil, plain yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.

Step 3

Shred the carrots in a food processor or grate them on a box grater. Set aside.

Step 4

To a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add the shredded carrots and mix with a spoon to combine and disperse the carrots throughout the flour.

Step 5

Pour the liquid mixture on top of the flour/carrot mixture and gently stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup chopped fruit, nuts or a combination of both if desired.

Step 6

Spread the carrot cake loaf batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 425ºF. Then reduce the temperature to 350ºF and continue baking for 40-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick or sharp knife in the center to check for doneness. If it comes out "clean" with no crumbs, it is ready. If it comes out wet, let it bake for another few minutes and check again.

Step 7

While the loaf cools, prepare the cream cheese topping.

Step 8

To a small bowl, whip the unsalted butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Whip together. Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Continue whipping until light and fluffy. Add a little more heavy cream as needed if the topping is too thick.

Step 9

Spread the cream cheese topping on the cooled loaf and enjoy!