Sweet, moist, and absolutely delicious, this frosted homemade carrot cake banana bread recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast or dessert!
If you’re looking for a wonderful springtime recipe to serve family or guests, this classic carrot cake banana bread is always a huge crowd pleaser.
The recipe can be low fat, low calorie, oil free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and vegan. And it’s super easy to make, using ingredients you already have on hand.
You may also like Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
If only carrot cake were always in season.
I’d be so happy posting carrot themed recipes all year round.
But since possibly no one else besides me wants to eat carrot cake in December (or maybe you do too?), I try to pack as much carrot cake as I possibly can into the few weeks between St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
Because I’ve already posted carrot cake oatmeal, waffles, and Healthy Carrot Cake, this year I decided to turn the flavor into banana bread, one of my other favorite flavors.
I knew the recipe would be good before even tasting it. After all, it’s carrot cake AND banana bread!
Above – watch the carrot cake banana bread recipe video
Carrot cake banana bread ingredients
To make the recipe, you will need flour, cinnamon, shredded carrot, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sweetener and milk of choice, and mashed banana.
While the carrot cake banana bread is completely wonderful on its own, one of my favorite things about carrot cake is the frosting.
For vegan carrot cake banana bread, choose your favorite dairy free milk of choice. The carrot banana loaf is already naturally egg free.
Types of flour that work include spelt flour, oat flour, white all purpose flour, or some all purpose gluten free flours. Feel free to experiment with others, although I do not recommend using coconut flour or almond flour.
You can frost with softened Coconut Butter or about half a cup of the homemade vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls.
I sprinkled crushed walnuts and shredded carrot over the top to decorate.
How to make carrot cake banana bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well. You can add half a cup of crushed walnuts or shredded coconut if you wish.
Whisk all remaining ingredients, including the shredded carrot and banana, in a separate bowl. Or you can technically save time and whisk them straight into the dry ingredients to form a batter. Do not overmix.
Smooth the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place on the oven’s center rack, and bake for forty five minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the carrot banana loaf comes out mostly clean.
Let the bread cool completely before going around the sides with a knife. Invert onto a large serving plate, and frost if desired.
Baking and storage tips
Loosely cover with cloth or paper towels, and store on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight.
The taste and texture of this bread are better the next day, because excess moisture will evaporate, resulting in a fluffier loaf.
After one day, it is best to refrigerate leftovers for three or four days in a covered container. Or slice and freeze for up to three months.
For low carb, try this Keto Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups white, spelt, or oat flour (or try this Almond Flour Banana Bread)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- optional 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana (for banana free, try this Vegan Carrot Cake)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 1/4 cup milk of choice or water
- 1/4 cup oil or additional water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional crushed walnuts, coconut, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 pan, or line with parchment. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. If desired, you can add 1/2 cup crushed walnuts and/or a handful of shredded coconut. Whisk liquid ingredients—including carrot and banana—in separate bowl. Pour wet into dry, and stir to form a batter. Smooth into prepared pan. Bake on the center rack 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Taste and texture are much better the second day (and even better the third day as it gets sweeter). Leftovers can be sliced and frozen for up to a month. If you want to frost the bread, I included a few links to some frosting recipes above in the post, or you can use about 1/2 cup softened coconut butter, sweetened if desired.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Healthy Banana Recipes
I was wondering if I could use a generic 1 for 1 gluten free flour instead of the oat flour. Or mix the two. I have to be gluten free so I am always looking for good gluten free banana bread recipes. Thank you!
Many readers have had success with Bob’s cup for cup (this one: https://amzn.to/2UPU7JA). Otherwise, I think it depends on the brand!
Can I sub the sweetner with dates? Do you know how many dates to use? Thanks!
Can you use sugar free maple syrup or would that mess up the texture?
We have never tried that so honestly don’t know if/how it would taste. But be sure to report back if you experiment!
Jason (media relations)
Love this recipe! I’ve made it twice and upped the spices
I have made this a few times and it’s great. I’ve been adding a lot more carrot & banana and like the added volune & moist texture that yields. I also used about a teaspoon of stevia instead of maple syrup this time and like it more without added sugar. Just wondering if the nutrition facts include frosting, oil, walnuts, coconut, and other optional ingredients?
This recipe was a hit! Used coconut oil, Flax milk, half honey/ half maple syrup and GF (King Arthur) flour and it turned out perfectly sweet, moist and not too dense. For a frosting I wanted to keep it light so this could be eaten both as a dessert or for breakfast, so I went with a powdered sugar/ water/ fior de sicilia extract mix and drizzled it on top. The citrus flavor complimented this recipe well. Can’t wait to make this again!!
Can I use almond flour? If so, what is the substitute measurement?
It would probably taste good but look really dense/not rise. If you experiment, be sure to report back!
Jason
This recipe is now my new favourite!! I did this without the frosting and without the maple syrup (by accident) and it was still amazing and sweet, my bananas were very ripe.
Definitely becoming a regular for this recipe.
EXCELLENT and so moist.
Hey. Just made this recipe. I don’t if it’s normal or what, but I used oat flour and my bread didn’t come out like soft on top. It came out with cracks. I don’t know if you can understand(?), but I would like to know how can I fix it. I did the recipe exactly as it was put here.