Carrot Cake Banana Bread (Printer-friendly)

Moist spiced loaf combining carrot cake warmth with banana bread tenderness

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
09 - 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
10 - 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1/4 cup neutral oil or melted butter
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1/4 cup milk

→ Add-Ins

15 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
16 - 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly. Add the grated carrots, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Mix just until no dry streaks remain, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Fold in the chopped nuts and raisins if using, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs are acceptable, but wet batter indicates more time is needed.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist, with tiny shreds of carrot that keep it tender for days
  • You get all the cozy warming spices of carrot cake in a breakfast friendly format
  • It hits that perfect sweet spot without being cloying, making it ideal for any time of day
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make your bread tough and dense, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The toothpick should have moist crumbs, not be completely clean, or you will end up with dry bread
  • Cooling completely before slicing seems impossible but prevents the loaf from crumbling apart
03 -
  • Freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic for breakfast on busy weekdays
  • Let your bananas get almost black before using them for maximum natural sweetness

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