Sourdough Carrot Raisin Loaf is such a cozy, flavorful loaf. It has a nice balance of tanginess from the sourdough discard/ starter, natural sweetness from the carrots and raisins, with a touch of apple pie spice.
Why do carrots and raisins work well?
Carrots and raisins pair well together because they naturally balance each other's flavors and textures. Carrots bring a light, earthy sweetness, and a satisfying crunch, while raisins add a deeper, concentrated fruity sweetness and a chewy texture. This contrast creates an enjoyable eating experience, as the crisp bite of the carrot complements the soft chewiness of the raisin. Additionally, the bright orange color of carrots alongside the dark hues of raisins adds visual appeal to any dish, making the combination not only tasty but also attractive.
Beyond flavor and texture, carrots and raisins also complement each other nutritionally. Carrots are rich in fiber and beta-carotene, which supports eye health, while raisins provide natural sugars, iron, and potassium for an energy boost. Together, they create a well-rounded and wholesome pairing that appears in many popular recipes, such as carrot raisin salads, baked goods, especially in the beloved carrot cake. Adding elements like citrus juice or warm spices can further enhance their flavors, making this classic combination even more delightful.
This was inspired by my carrot sourdough bread in this site.
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How to make this Sourdough carrot raisin sourdough loaf?
Use a clear shot of the ingredients for this recipe, prepped, and labeled if necessary. Add a paragraph of content describing why these ingredients were chosen. Insert the ingredients into the list below, omitting quantities.
- All purpose flour : Use unbleached all purpose flour
- Sourdough starter/ discard : Use any sourdough starter especially 100% hydration sourdough starter work well.
- Sugar : Adds sweetness to the loaf
- Carrot : Freshly carrot taste for this recipe
- Vegetable oil : I used canola oil. You can use any favorite oil
- Milk : 2% milk is used in this recipe.
- Apple pie spice: You can use any pie spice of your choice or even cinnamon to work well for this recipe.
- Leavner: Both baking soda and baking powder is used in the recipe.
- Salt : adds a flavor boost to the loaf
- Eggs : Bring moistness
- Raisins: I used dark raisins, but you can use golden raisins too
- Pecans: This recipe uses non-toasted pecans you can use toasted one too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
First, mix in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice.
In a large bowl, add oil, milk, sourdough starter/discard, eggs, and sugar and mix well.
- Step 1: Combine all flour, salt , baking powder and baking soda and spices into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with mixture
- Step 2: Wet ingredients with sugar
- Step 3: Carrot, raisins and pecans
- Step 4: Transfer to prepared pan and set aside for baking.
To this, add flour-baking soda-baking powder, and apple pie spice mix. Then, finally, fold in carrots, raisins, and pecans and combine everything.
Transfer to a loaf pan and bake it in a pre-heated oven, and enjoy
Variations to Sourdough Carrot Raisin Loaf
Carrot Raisin Sourdough with Honey or Maple: Drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup into the dough or brush on top before baking. Adds depth to the sweetness and gives the crust a nice caramelization.
Whole Wheat Carrot Raisin Sourdough: Substitute part or all of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. More rustic, hearty flavor, and boosts the fiber content.
Carrot Raisin and Seed Sourdough: Add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flaxseeds. Seeds give a nutty crunch and extra nutrition.
Carrot Raisin Sourdough with Cream Cheese Swirl: Incorporate a swirl of lightly sweetened cream cheese before baking. It gives it a rich, indulgent twist — like a sourdough carrot cake!
Storage
For sourdough carrot loaf storage, let it cool fully, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want it to last longer, refrigerate it for up to a week, but make sure it is well wrapped to prevent it from drying out. For freezing, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag—loaf will freezes well for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature or warm it up in the toaster or microwave when ready to eat!
I have made this bread as part of Bread baker’s event Carrot Bread hosted by me this month.
- Carrot and Thyme Sourdough Boule by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Cozonac - Romanian Easter Bread by A Messy Kitchen
- Crushed Pineapple Carrot Quick Bread by Food Lust People Love
- Sourdough Carrot Bread by Sneha’s Recipe
- Sourdough Carrot Raisin Loaf by Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Whole Wheat Carrot Bread by Karen’s Kitchen stories
FAQ
Do I need to use toasted nuts for this recipe?
No, you can use non-toasted nuts too. If you are not fan of nuts then add raisins only
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Sourdough Carrot Raisin Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sourdough discard/ starter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1½ cups shredded carrot
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In bowl whisk the dry ingredients, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and apple pie spice and set aside
- In a large bowl add oil, milk, eggs, sugar, and sourdough starter and mix well
- To this the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Fold in carrot, pecans and raisin and mix just until combined.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Video
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Cris says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Lathiya says
The sourdough bread with carrot and raisins was amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Sneha Datar says
Love the addition of raisins in this carrot bread!
Ieva says
Deliciously moist and beautifully spiced, as always! Another winning recipe from you 🙂
Juyali says
This loaf was moist, lightly tangy, and so comforting. My family loved it with a cup of tea in the afternoon!
Andrea says
This loaf was so soft and flavorful—my husband loved the mix of sweet raisins and spice. It is perfect afternoon snack with coffee!
Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Great way to use starter discard in a quickbread! This sounds perfect for brunch.
Stacy says
Carrots and raisins are natural partners! Beautiful loaf, Swathi!
hobby baker Kelly says
Beautiful quick bread! It looks wonderfully tender and colorful.
Wendy Klik says
Great minds Swathi. Love the addition of raisins to your loaf.