Banana carrot bread is a moist and healthy sweet loaf for breakfast. Whipped topping makes it perfect for special occasion, such as Easter breakfast or brunch. But it is also a good every day or weekend bread loaf for your family.
Whole wheat banana carrot bread should be a staple sweet loaf at your family table! This is a dairy-free bread recipe, if you make it without topping.
It has low sugar content, and you can substitute it to other healthier sugar-substitutes for baking.
The flavors of cinnamon and ginger will spread through your home, while baking! This super moist banana carrot bread is actually a healthier treat for breakfast.
If you want to make your kids eat more veggies, this is a great recipe of banana carrot bread for toddlers. You can serve it with yogurt and omit walnuts, if your kids don’t like them.
I’ve made an easy whipped cream topping with cake cream powder for more festive look and deliciousness. But a plain loaf for breakfast with a dollop of yogurt is so good!
Ingredients for banana carrot bread
- Bananas are key ingredients in this easy bread recipe. They add sweetness, make the bread moist and add to texture. If you don’t have ripe banana to mash, use applesauce or pumpkin puree instead. If you don’t have bananas, check our Carrot Cake Recipe.
- Eggs will bond everything together, but the recipe will work with flax egg. However, don’t expect banana bread rise without eggs.
- Oatmeal is a great source of fiber. You can add quick oats instead to make texture more chewy. You can use oat flour or pulse quick oats few times in food processor. If you don’t have it, you can use almond flour.
- Whole wheat flour. A healthier way to add more fiber and pleasant nutty flavor to your bread. It also makes bread less dense. You can use spelt flour instead.
- Additions. I added walnuts for crunch and for decoration. You can use other nuts, such as pecans, raisins or pineapple slices instead. Walnuts are good for your brain health and add a toasty flavor. You can mix in half cup of nuts or raisins in the end. I love walnuts, but almonds, pecans, dried apricots or plums, sultanas or chocolate chips will be great additions. I decorated the loaf with dried carrots, which is totally optional!
- Spices. I used ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. The perfect combo that marries well with bananas and carrots in this bread. Sometimes I add vanilla powder, but you can add a teaspoons of vanilla essence as well. You can sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the frosting!
- Grated carrots add more moisture to the bread. They make breakfast bread super moist and healthy. Try also to substitute half of grated carrots to grated zucchini.
- Brown sugar adds a caramelized taste to this bread. It has low sugar content, and you can substitute it to brown erythritol or other keto sweetener. You can use coconut sugar instead.
- Frosting for special occasion. I used ready to make Vanilla cream for topping. But you can make cream cheese frosting. I’ve made an easy whipped cream topping from cake cream powder and milk. To make banana carrot bread with cream cheese frosting, look at our directions on making cream cheese frosting in the Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe.
How to make banana carrot bread
It is simple to make, you just need one large bowl to mix everything together, transfer to loaf pan and bake in the oven! Quick prep time, no extra equipment, just how our grandparents would make it.
Start with wet ingredients. Mash bananas, then add eggs. Mix together. You don’t have to beat the eggs.
Add all dry ingredients flour, spices and mix just until no lumps appear. Don’t over-mix the batter, or it the end result can become too chewy.
Finally fold in grated carrots and chopped walnuts.
Transfer to the loaf pan, layered with parchment paper. Smooth the top and bake in the preheated oven until inserted wooden skewer or toothpick comes out clean. The baking time is around 30 minutes.
Let it cool completely before slicing or adding topping. Any icing or frosting will melt on warm bread and slices will crumb, when cutting the loaf!
Add whipped cream or use a quick cake cream powder, whipped with milk. Decorate with dried carrots and walnuts, if you like.
How to store banana carrot bread
If you wrap the bread without frosting in foil, plastic wrap or air-tight container, you can store it at room temperature for few days. In the fridge it will keep up to a week.
I recommend storing without whipped topping! The topping is optional, but it is better to make it before serving.
This bread doesn’t last a week in our house, but you can hide it in the freezer. It is better to freeze the bread slices separately, wrapped in baking paper, then in the foil. That way you will have it already portioned for you lunch or late breakfast.
More delicious and quick bread recipes
We love a good slice of bread! Check our other bread recipes:
- Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Barmbrack
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Irish Soda Bread
Hope you will enjoy this easy and quick banana carrot loaf with walnuts and frosting! It is a delicious treat that your family will love, we promise.
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Banana Carrot Bread
- bowl for mixing
- 1 spatula
- 1 Loaf pan
- parchment paper
- Oven
- Whisk
- fork
- off-set spatula or spoon
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 bananas ripe
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla powder or essence
- ¾ cup oat flour or quick oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 big carrots shredded
- ½ cup walnuts chopped + extra for decoration
- 1 tbsp Vanilla cream powder for cake*
- 1 cup milk*
- 1 tbsp dried carrots optional
- Preheat oven to
375 °F
- Mash banana with a fork.3 bananas
- Whisk eggs with oil until foamy.2 eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Add egg mixture to mashed banana.
- Add wheat flour and fold in with a spatula.1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- Add oat flour and fold in with a spatula.¾ cup oat flour
- Add sugar, baking soda, bakng powder, vanilla and spices.¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Fold in grated carrots.2 big carrots
- Fold in walnuts.½ cup walnuts
- Add batter to the loaf pan, lined with baking paper. Bake 25-30 min until inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
- Whip milk with powder.1 tbsp Vanilla cream powder for cake*, 1 cup milk*
- Apply cream to the bread with an off-set spatula or back of the spoon.
- Decorate with walnuts and dried carrots.1 tbsp dried carrots
There is no baking temperature given.
Also, why baking SODA; there is no acid in the recipe.
Hi Paula! The first step in the recipe card has the temperature – preheat oven to 190 C / 375 F.
Baking soda helps the bread to rise in conjunction with brown sugar and bananas themselves. Moreover, it helps to produce browner crumb and crust of the bread.
SO DELISH!!!! We all loved and devoured it!!
Great, thank you for your comment!
Holy moly, this is a combination of two of my favorites. Banana bread and carrot cake. I could eat this every day.
Yes, it’s a moist and delicious treat for every day cup of tea or coffee!
I’m loving this banana and carrot combo! Such bold flavors that work perfectly together! Definitely an easy dessert to indulge in!
This is truly flavourful combo, especially with addition of cinnamon!
I love carrot cake and love banana bread so those two together in one: YES, please! What a fun and delicious spin on a banana bread recipe! Everyone is going to love it when I make it on Easter!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Gina! Let us know, when you make it.
I am loving this fun springtime twist on traditional banana bread! Looks delicious. 🙂
This is truly a good loaf any time of the year!