The first time I dreamt up this loaf, I was preparing to head to the grocery store and noticed the overly ripe bananas on the counter. An interesting idea came to me: “What if I combined my love for banana bread with carrot cake? Could this be a thing?”
In my mind, absolutely.
If you’ve been a fan of AK for a while now, you know that this incredible carrot cake banana bread is an all-time reader favorite. Try this bread out for Easter with your family. Better yet, double it and keep a whole loaf for yourself! Trust me, you’ll want to.
What makes this carrot cake banana bread healthier?
The biggest challenge was figuring out how to make this bread with more wholesome ingredients, but still make it feel a little indulgent and taste really incredible, too! Somehow I pulled it off and the recipe just works beautifully. The taste is deliciously moist, perfectly spiced, and it feels like an actual treat. This recipe is:
- Naturally sweetened. This healthier carrot cake banana bread recipe is baked with unrefined sugars and is naturally sweetened with just ripe bananas, applesauce, carrots and some coconut sugar. I use powdered sugar in the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but you could also try using my paleo powdered sugar for it.
- Filled with whole grains. It’s also made with whole grains from whole grain flour and oats, making it a great, fiber-filled snack to enjoy anytime.
- Packed with vitamins. Hello, vitamin A, K, potassium and antioxidants from carrots!
- Lower in fat. I replaced some of the oil with applesauce, which still keeps the bread super moist and delicious. I’m all about incorporating healthy fats, which is where those delicious walnuts and the shredded coconut come in!
Everything you’ll need to make this carrot cake banana bread
This bread uses simple ingredients that you likely already have at home, making it the perfect quick bread to throw together in no time at all. You’ll need:
- Flour: instead of all-purpose flour, I used whole wheat pastry flour for an extra boost of whole grains and fiber.
- Oats: get that slightly chewy texture of carrot cake from quick oats!
- Bananas: make sure you use extra ripe bananas with lots of brown/black spots to sweeten the bread.
- Coconut sugar: this recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup of coconut sugar in the entire recipe. Feel free to sub with brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
- Applesauce: I replaced most of the oil with applesauce to keep this bread moist and add delicious flavor.
- Coconut oil: we will, however, add some coconut oil for a boost of fat.
- Milk: you’ll need to add additional moisture with milk. Almond milk or coconut milk are great dairy-free options.
- Eggs: we’re adding one egg to the bread to help it bake properly.
- Carrots: gotta have freshly grated carrots for the carrot cake flavor! They also give the bread additional sweetness and moisture.
- Baking staples: get that cozy flavor from cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, then remember to add salt and baking soda.
- Mix-ins: I like to add chopped walnuts for a little crunch and boost of healthy fats, but see below for even more fun options!
- For the frosting: you’ll just need cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and a bit of vanilla extract to make the light & fluffy cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Optional ingredient swaps
If you’re missing some of the ingredients listed here are a few easy swaps you can make:
- DIY quick oats. If you don’t have quick oats, simply place 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender and pulse for 20-30 seconds until the oats break down a bit.
- Swap your sweetener. You can use 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup in place of the coconut sugar if you’d like.
- Sub the coconut oil. Any oil, melted butter, or melted vegan butter will work.
- Keep it refined sugar free. Feel free to try using my paleo powdered sugar in the frosting!
- Add your favorite mix-ins. Shredded coconut, raisins, pecans instead of walnuts, or pineapple would all be delicious.
Can I use a different flour?
- All-purpose flour. If you’re out of whole wheat pastry flour, feel free to use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
- Gluten-free flour. I haven’t tested it, but I think a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour would work well.
Can I make it vegan?
Yes, I think a flax egg would work well in this recipe! Get all of our tips and tricks for making a flax egg here. Be sure to use a dairy-free cream cheese in the frosting as well!
Tips & tricks for making this carrot cake banana bread
- Follow the recipe. The best way to ensure the success of this easy carrot cake banana bread is to follow the recipe and use the exact ingredients as written (unless I note specific substitutes).
- Use a room temperature egg. If your egg is too cold, you risk the little bit of coconut oil coagulating. To bring your eggs to room temp, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 3-5 minutes before you use them.
- Do not overmix the batter. If you overmix the batter, you’ll end up with a bread that’s more dense and gummy instead of fluffy and soft.
- Use fresh baking soda. If your baking soda is older than 3 months, I suggest grabbing a new one for best baking results.
- Line your loaf pan. I recommend lining your loaf pan with parchment paper AND spraying it with nonstick cooking spray so that your bread comes out easily.
Want to make carrot cake banana muffins?
It’s easy! Turn this bread into muffins or cupcakes by simply making the batter as directed, then dividing it into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners. Bake the muffins for around 15-20 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
Otherwise, feel free to try my healthy carrot cake muffins!
Make it ahead of time
This carrot cake banana bread can be made a day or two ahead of time! Just wrap in plastic wrap to seal in moisture and frost before you serve. Banana bread is always best the next day.
How to store carrot cake banana bread
- To store: this bread can be left wrapped at room temp for 2 days, then I recommend transferring it to the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: let the loaf cool completely and either cut it into slices before placing it in an airtight container or freezer-friendly bag in the fridge or freeze the whole thing for up to 3 months. I recommend frosting the bread before serving. To thaw the whole loaf, simply let the carrot cake banana bread thaw at room temp for a few hours. You can do the same with the individual slices, or you can reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Recommended tools
Get all of my kitchen essentials here!
More carrot cake recipes you’ll love
- The Best Healthy Carrot Cake You’ll Ever Eat (gluten free & paleo-friendly!)
- Carrot Cake Smoothie
- Healthy Carrot Cake Cookies (made with coconut oil + dairy free!)
- Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Cups
Get all of our amazing easter recipes here!
I know you’re going to LOVE this carrot cake banana bread recipe! If you make it I’d love it if you would leave a comment and a rating to share how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Thick Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (170g) whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour)*
- ½ cup (48g) quick oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Wet ingredients:
- 2 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (¾ cup mashed banana)
- ½ cup (77g) coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup (56g) melted and cooled coconut oil (any oil or melted butter/vegan butter will work)
- ¼ cup (63g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 heaping cup (100g) shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- ⅓ cup (80g) almond or coconut milk
- ⅓ cup (37g) chopped pecans or walnuts, plus 2 tablespoons (14g) for topping
- Optional add-ins:
- ½ cup (80g) raisins
- ½ cup (42g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- For the frosting:
- 4 oz (112g) cream cheese, softened (reduced fat if you'd like)
- ⅓ cup (38g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, quick oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
- Mix the batter: In a medium bowl, mix together mashed banana, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla until well combined and creamy. Add in applesauce and almond milk, then fold in carrots. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined -- DO NOT OVERMIX. Gently fold in melted coconut oil and ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, plus the raisins and coconut (if using).
- Bake: Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Mine took about 55 minutes in an 8x4 inch loaf pan. If you use a 9x5 inch pan, you may need to check the bread at 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Make cinnamon cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon together on medium speed for a minute or until smooth. Spread over cooled bread. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans. Cut into 10-12 slices and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Originally published: 2015. Updated and republished March 11, 2021, republished on April 4, 2022, and republished with new photos on April 1st, 2026.
You are incredible! Well, at least I think you are. The pictures are scrumptillyicous! I will have to make it and taste it first, which I plan to do–with my few minor changes related to dietary restrictions. Beautiful photography!
Wow! Pinned! I love that you combined 2 faves – carrot cake & banana bread – in one! And that frosting, I need it asap 🙂
Thanks Averie! 🙂
Just to make sure baking soda not baking powder?
Yep! Baking soda.
Do you think you could make this with gluten free flour and get the same results? I am gluten free and would love to try this recipe out!!!!
for anyone else asking this question….the answer is YES! I used Bob Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose. I used 3 bananas, 1/3 honey, a touch more applesauce and it turned out SOO YUMMY!!!! I could have eaten the whole thing! I made it with vegan cream cheese for the frosting and mixed in a delicious amount of cinnamon.
Wow, those pictures are making me drool! Thanks for the recipe, definitely one I will try out.
LOVE! Making this one soon!
This is something I definitely need in my life – like ASAP! Pinning this one.
I was also wondering if it could be made with gf flour.
Hi Aimee! I think you could give it a try with an all purpose GF flour. I haven’t tried it though so I can’t promise it will work.
I tried it with GF flour this weekend and I thought the texture was a little off…I was the only one who noticed though so you could try it!
Hi Elizabeth! I'm guessing you could use an all purpose gluten free flour. You could also use oat flour, but I haven't tried it so I can't promise it will work.
Thank you Elizabeth – that's so nice of you to say!
Holy Moly. You’re some kind of genius. I am absolutely loving this flavor combo, and I can guarantee everyone in my family will tooo…this will definitely be on our Easter table! (But Im not even sure I can wait that long!) Really love this!
Carrot cake banana bread? That is such a genius concept seriously!
This is over the top amazing! That cream cheese frosting is calling my name!
Omgsh it’s so ridiculously good!
GIMME. THAT. BREAD.
I want this right now!! Stunning photos!
I can’t wait to try this!! It looks so good!
Banana + Carrot cake? Who would have ever thought?? I must try ASAP!
I love me some cinnamon cream cheese frosting! This looks so good!
Looks delicious!! Does almond milk have the same baking properties as regular milk? I don’t typically buy almond milk – would using regular still work with the same proportions?
Also, I forgot to answer your call for suggestions! My favorite carrot cake recipe is one that includes mango juice and crushed pineapple (http://putonyourcakepants.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/carrot-mango-pineapple-cake/) – it has quickly become a family and friends’ favorite, too! Not as healthy as yours, but perhaps in future iterations I can still tweak the recipe!
The almond milk has 50% more calcium then regular milk and it has great flavor plus a thicker consistency. I LOVE LOVE LOVE almond milk – you should really try it. It’s so awesome to bake with and do smoothies!
What if husband is allergic to almonds
My husband is allergic to nuts; I sub regular milk in all Monique’s baking recipes at they turn out wonderfully!
Thanks for the feedback. I am wondering if I can use Vanilla Soy milk instead. Your comment is so helpful!
This looks incredible Monique!! WOW!!!!
would a oat flour be okay and leave out the brown sugar, enough with the sweet banana.
I only have sweetened almond milk. Is that ok? Should I reduce the amount of sugar called for in the recipe? Or should I just use regular milk? Thanks 🙂
The sweetened almond milk is totally fine to use! No changes necessary.
The recipe calls for an egg, in the directions I see to add egg AND egg white. Does the recipe use an egg AND an egg white, or was this a typo? Thank you.
Hi Miranda! Thank you for the catch – this recipes just needs one egg (and no egg white). Fixing the instructions now!
AMAZING!!! So far I’ve tried your whole wheat banana bread and oat flour banana bread and am a big fan of them both! I can’t wait to try this healthy carrot cake banana bread – it looks fantastic!
This looks gorgeous! I love carrot cake, and banana bread…and cream cheese frosting…so this is pretty much heaven on a plate. Your photography is really beautiful too by the way/
Oh gosh, this has to be tried very soon 🙂
I tried making this bread today substituting honey for the sugar and regular milk for the almond milk and a whole egg in place of the egg white…. i cooked it for like 2 hours and it never did cook all the way through. I had to throw it away. i can’t imagine the changes i made would have thrown it off that much…. is there supposed to be more flour than just 1 1/4 cup?
Hi Christina! I don’t know what the bread is like when you substitute honey for sugar but I do have a feeling that it would change it as honey has more moisture than sugar. Also, did you use whole wheat flour and did you use 2 eggs or 1? No, the flour amount is correct as written. Did you add the oats?
I used 2 eggs, whole wheat flour and quick oats. i generally substitute honey for sugar in most sweet breads i make and it does fine usually. i wonder if elevation has something to do with it. i live near Denver, the mile high city :).
So after doing a little bit of research, it sounds like you’ll need to add 1 more tablespoon per recipe for 3,500 feet. And for each additional 1,500 feet, add one more tablespoon. I found this at: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html
Hey Christna, the EXACT SAME thing happened to me and i followed the recipe to a T. im happy to see im not the only one. i thought i did something wrong. not enough dry ingredients i don’t think! i was so worried i’d lost my baking touch!
My mom is coming to visit tomorrow and I plan on making this for her tonight!! I don’t have whole wheat flour. Can I substitute all purpose flour? Do you think I would then need to decrease the almond milk? Thanks! Recipe looks amaaaazing.
So sorry for not getting back to you sooner. You can substitute all purpose. I would increase the flour to 1 1/2 cups. 🙂
I made this into muffins and they taste incredible! I left out the carrots and frosting and substituted more applesauce for the brown sugar. Definitely going to try out the frosting next time!
i made this last weekend and it was delicious! thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it, Holly!
ca I change the flour to rice flour for gluten free
This looks good and easy to veganize with only the egg to swap!
Just made this into 5 bigs muffins! Delicious with the cinnamon frosting!
Hi Monique, my son is allergic to eggs. Do you think I could simply omit them, or should I make some other adjustment to this recipe? Sometimes I use the powder egg replacer, but I'm not sure how well it would work here.
Hi! I think you could use flax eggs or a tablespoon of chia seeds and it should be fine! He probably wouldn't noticed either of these, but they'll help to bind the recipe.
I found this loaf very soggy. I’m not sure what I did wrong because I followed the recipe exactly Next time I will add more flour/oats or try leaving out the oil. I will definitely try it again though!
Sorry to hear you had some trouble with the recipe. You can try adding a tablespoon more of flour and that should do the trick. Also you may need to bake the bread longer.
Thanks for the idea…maybe baking it longer will help too! I never thought of that. Thanks so much!
I had exactly the same problem.not enough dry ingredients. Strange that it worked for some but not for others. I think one medium sized carrot is all you need and maybe only one banana? It sounded so delicious.
Thanks! Made these as muffins last night. I shredded 3 carrots & was adding them to batter before I realized it was way more than 1 cup. Dumped it all in anyways which made for very carroty & moist muffins! And, since I didnt have cream cheese, I used ricotta cheese for the frosting. Tasty, just not as thick. = )
My daughter is allergic to almonds. Will substituting with 1% milk for the almond milk alter the recipe?
No, it will still work. 🙂
I just made this tonight and it’s fabulous! I made some changes – instead of coconut oil, I added an extra tablespoon of applesauce, I used Egg Beaters for the 1 egg, and I used an additional 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and vanilla. I didn’t have any pecans, so I used walnuts instead and tossed in some raisins and shredded coconut. It tastes and smells so good… Thanks for the great recipe! I’ll definitely make it again.
I have some vanilla greek yogurt I was wanting to use up in a banana bread, but I love this recipe! Any tips on incorporating some greek yogurt into this recipe?
I don’t have coconut oil…what can I use in place instead?
I had make it once for my daughter
This is the first recipe I tried from your website and it was awesome! It really does taste soooo much like carrot cake. It was GREAT! My husband and son kept asking for more. The only change I made was I used two whole eggs instead of one egg white and one whole egg. And I also added in a tiny bit more powdered sugar to the frosting. But otherwise I made it exactly as written and this recipe is definitely a keeper! I will have to try more recipes from your website for sure. Thanks for the yummy, healthy recipes!
I made this cake for a party and everybody loved it!! It’s hard to stop eating it once you start. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Hi, Kelly, I made this for the first time last night, but we were sadly disappointed. I followed the recipe to a tee, but we felt the bread was just okay and the frosting we didn’t like at all. I guess our tastes just aren’t the same. I’m so sorry and even more sorry it didn’t work for us.
Well, I’m not sure who Kelly is, but thank you for the feedback. Sorry you didn’t care for the bread. It’s rather surprising since this is a favorite on the site.
I made this bread today. I used walnuts instead of pecans. The bread came out absolutely delicious! I was worried that taste would be sacrificed because it’s a healthy version of dessert bread- but you can’t tell that it’s made with low fat substitutes. Thank you for sharing.
I made this today. It was good, not sure if I would make it again. I think it lacked flavor in terms of spices. I think if i make it again I would add nutmeg, cloves, allspice, etc. i also added coconut and pineapple so I think that helped a little. The texture was moist but a tad gummy. Overall not bad at all especially if healthier but needs more kick.
Can you freeze them after they cool ??
I made it yesterday. It was omg do delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
My bananas were very ripe; no doubt that contributed to the sweetness.
I left off the icing.. I rarely use icing or glaze on muffins or quick-bread.
Aside from that, I followed the recipe exactly.
It was SO delicious!
I love love love that there’s is next to no oil/butter and very little sugar.
Whole wheat + veggies & fruit!
It doesn’t get much better than that!
My 26 year old Son said: “I loved it! You need to make more immediately!”
He never says stuff like that!
This recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
I like pineapple in carrot cake………. what changes would you make?
I do not like applesauce. I was wondering if you could process pineapple to be an applesauce sort of texture and use that instead? Anyone know?
Yes that should work!
I was hoping to use GF flour too….
We made this as an Easter cake and it is lovely.
I LOVE THIS BREAD.
I can’t believe it took me this long to make it. Banana bread and carrot cake in one is a total win. Thank you!
I;m sorry to say but this did not work for me. Texture was gooey and i made it for mother’s day 🙁 I am disappointed.
I baked for 55 minutes but it was still gooey. I checked the centre which appeared to be done but when I took it out of the pan the parchment paper still stuck to it. I did add about 1/2 cup of blended pineapple to the batter and maybe this is what affected the baking time
Yes, the pineapple probably added excess moisture to the batter. Next time follow the recipe as is and make sure you are using the correct flour!
You mention you used only 1/4 c oats but the recipe says 1/2 cup. Which amount is best?
1/2 cup!
I’m confused by the reference to the egg white in the instructions – all it says in the ingredients list is “1 egg.” I just made this and it’s in the oven – I somehow missed the egg white reference until I started reading the comments. My loaf otherwise looks like it’s baking up beautifully and smells heavenly. I’m sure it will come out alright, but wanted to highlight the discrepancy there.
Hello.
Can I substitute almond flour for the wheat flour?
Thank you.
Liza
carrot cake banana bread
I’d like to try this recipe soon, but I’m confused by the reference to the egg white in the instructions, because it says in the ingredients to use 1 egg. Can you please clarify this for me? Thank you!
Please clarify -1 egg and 1 white egg, or just 1 egg.
So glad I found this. Can’t wait to try it out! Must make a run to the store first😄
I am also confused about the mention of egg white in the instructions but the ingredient list calls for one egg (no mention of egg white.) Thank you for the clarification. The bread is delicious…thank you for sharing the recipe.
I see many questions regarding the one egg but instructions say egg, egg white. which is it? I don’t see a reply so not sure what to use?
just the egg
Thanks you so much for this recipe. I just made it and i eill finish it before tomorrow lol. I have tried so many of your recipes and they all great and easy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!
I’ve made this bread before and it turns out great. I think it doesn’t turn out for some people maybe because the proper measurement for the bananas is not posted. The size of 2 medium bananas may vary from person to person. For me, it measured slightly over half a cup when mashed, and the bread turned out great!!!
…. It measures 2/3 cup, my mistake!!
Thank you great recipe. I loved that they were not overly sweet, my daughters loved them. A good way to get more carrot in them, I may even try extra carrot next time. I used only coconut oil and reduced the sugar in the frosting a bit.
Perfect! I’m glad your daughters enjoyed them 🙂
I loved the bread! However, mine was a little crumbled so should I add more eggs or more baking soda? Did that happened because I used 1/2 cup of chopped pecans instead of 1/4?
I’m glad you loved it! As far as the crumbling goes – the consistency should be just fine even with more chopped pecans. I would just double check your measurements between the wet & dry ingredients next time (if it was a bit dry you could try adding a tablespoon or two more almond milk).
Excellent !!
I actually just had banana bread last night! It was vegan, gluten free, had tons of chocolate chips, and tasted great. However, I definitely think a carrot cake-spin on banana bread would have really taken the cake. 😉 Anyways, this loaf looks to die for, and it looks even better than the original recipe (though both look fantastic–nothing that my baking abilities could ever measure up to!)! If I try this, I will try to veganize it as best as I can. Let you know how it goes!
That sounds delicious! Hope you give this one a try 🙂 let me know how it goes!
OMG yum to all things carrot cake!!!
Can I replace the applesauce?
You could try using an extra banana instead. Or adding more oil!
You could use more coconut oil!
Well I guess I just found what I will be baking next week!
I am a huge lover of carrot cake and banana bread it seems the perfect combo and I can not wait to try and stuff my face like crazy 😀
And it look so yummy (though I will definitely leave out the raisins 😀 )
I hope you have a lovely weekend!
Love,
Jenny
I hope you get a chance to try this Jenny! Two of my fav things together 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
Can you use canola oil instead of coconut oil?
Yep!
Is oat bran different than oat flour? I use oat bran to make blueberry muffins and I can’t help but wonder if I can use oat flour instead? Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. 5.0 rating
It is! It’s actually a different part of the plant. Let me know if you try using oat flour in those, too, and how they come out. Glad you loved this one!
Is there any substitution for applesauce ?
You can add coconut oil!
would It be same measurement of coconut oil to applesauce? thanks!
Made this just the other day. Yum! Definitely benefits from the cinnamon cream cheese frosting to pull it together. A slice left us satisfied feeling like we just ate carrot cake without the heavy weighed down feeling afterwards. Keep the delicious recipes coming!
Love it! So happy you guys enjoyed this 🙂 More to come!
I am a horrible baker (yes, I can and always even mess up a box of brownies), but I made this and I won! It worked out great. I love that you put so many attempts into perfecting it for us, I completely appreciate that and it worked great for me! I am really proud of myself! And it tastes really amazing too!
Great work! You should be proud 🙂 You’ll have to share this one with the family!
Delicious! I just whipped these up as muffins this morning and I’m now enjoying one with my morning coffee! I’m trying hard to resist having a second one. So, so, so good! And so easy to make! I also just saw your lemon poppy seed muffin recipe and I will likely make those tomorrow morning! Thank you for having a muffin week!
Amazing!! These would be delicious as muffins <3 hope you love the lemon poppyseed too - happy muffin week!
I made this bread and it wasWonderful I did make a few adjustments I used coconut flour I also added butter instead of coconut oil.
5 stars!
Great! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi Monique! I’m so curious why the tbsp of coconut oil needs to be folded into the recipe at the end instead of just added to the wet ingredients? Thanks for quelling my curiosity and for your amazing recipes!!!
This is the BEST…
Waow it’s incredibly tasty…
Girl you are so awesome😘
So glad you love it Niki! <3
Hi I just made this today and it was great. I added a tablespoon of milled flax seed because I used AP flour which what was on hand. I also added extra cinnamon because we like it. I did not add the coconut oil and used coconut as an addition to the walnuts. Very pleased with the results. Thank you.
Great! I’m glad those swaps worked out for you.
Great recipe!
P.S. You forgot to mention the nutmeg in the steps 🙂
Glad you liked it! And thanks for the catch – updated 🙂
100000% making this – like tonight and then also for Easter!
Perfect!! Hope you love it.
Any huge difference in using thick rolled oats instead of quick oats?? It’s all I’ve got 😞
I decided to actually read the blog post and saw I could blend the oats!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Perfect!! I usually include all tips & tricks within the post 🙂
Made this recipe last night and it hit the double jackpot of being both easy and delicious! I added in raisins and used regular whole wheat flour. My family loved it!
Amazing! So happy to hear that.
This was a huge hit. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is EVERYTHING!
YES isn’t it amazing?! Glad you loved this loaf!
I made this using wholemeal flour, and greek yogurt instead of the apple sauce. I also added in an extra banana for extra banana taste. It was seriously yum! Thanks for an amazing recipe. 🙂
Glad those swaps worked out for you! One of my favs for spring 🙂
I made this bread for my family and they LOVED it!!! I was wondering thought if I can put Chia seeds in this bread or will it change the texture to much? If I can do you recommend how much?
So happy to hear that! Sure you can add a tablespoon of chia seeds to the bread if you’d like!
Hi there! Thx for sharing such a cozy recipe! When do we add the Nutmeg? I don’t seem to see it in the bread or frosting? Should it have been together with the cinammon in the bread itself?
Thank you for the catch! You can add it with the cinnamon next time 🙂
I didn’t have applesauce, used spelt flour, and skipped the topping and the were still really good!
Glad those swaps worked out well!
A delicious good for your treat! I added chopped walnuts and shredded coconut for extra nutrients. I am planning on freezing half for snacks later in the week. I highly recommend the icing, it is totally worth it and makes the bread that much more delicious.
Absolutely! Love that icing, too 🙂
AMAZING!! this would have to be one of my top recipes to use from AK. Comes out perfect every time – doesn’t feel like a ‘healthy alternative’ just so good!! I make it for my office friends, birthdays & family. Perfect, moist and lasts a long time!
Love that!! This one’s perfect for holidays & sharing 🙂 Glad you love this one!
Holy moly these are DELICIOUS! I made them in muffin form. They took about 25 minutes in my oven at 350. I added all the things (coconut, raisins, and walnuts) and these bad boys are dense! The cinnamon cream cheese icing takes these to the next level of decadence, but they would be just as delicious without. I will hands-down be making these again!
This loaf turned out great!! I love the denser texture of the bread. I even kept mine in the fridge to have a little chilled which was delicious.
So good! I’m glad you loved it!
Wow! I just baked it today and it was really really good. Followed all the ingredients. It came out perfect and yummy. Thanks for the yummy recipe. I wish i could upload picture here.
Amazing! So happy to hear that. Feel free to share a photo in our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ambitiouskitchencommunity/
Hi Monique!
Will olive oil worl instead of coconut oil?
*work
Hi! Absolutely! great idea 🙂
What can I use instead of apple sauce? I’m stuck at home because of coronavirus and am missing that ingredient
Feel free to sub in another ripe mashed banana 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! I used crushed pineapple instead of the raisins. And also added some shredded coconut. 😍
My husband loves it as well. It came out more moist than expected.
It was very easy to make. I will try it in the muffin form next so I can control my portions 🙈
YUM love the idea of crushed pineapple! So happy you both loved it 🙂
My pre-quarantine banana were looking sad, and this gave them a second chance at life! I made a recipe and a half so I could share some with the neighbor. I will say I quadrupled the frosting though (in my defense I made them more cake shaped and flatter). Probably not “healthy” anymore, but totally worth it!!
Love that! So delicious.
So good! I made this for my husbands birthday because he loves carrot cake. We ate it for dessert and then breakfast the next day! He loved the heartiness of it.
Amazing! So happy to hear that.
I made this recipe with gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour and just a little extra apple sauce (per someone’s earlier recommendation), and I don’t know if it even needed extra applesauce, but it’s amazing. I also subbed 1/4 c white sugar and did 1/4 c coconut sugar because that’s all I had and it doesn’t seem to matter. Made the icing with vegan cream cheese, and it’s the perfect topping. Thanks, Monique, for your recipes, they are keeping me occupied during quarantine!
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
I loved this! I used oat flour and maple syrup because that is all I had in the house! I replaced the apple sauce with pineapple, added coconut and walnuts! Had to bake for an hour for the middle to fully set! Love your recipes, always my go to blog!
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great treat 🙂
I made this recipe for my parents and WOW! We ate half the loaf within the first 24 hours! This recipe is fantastic- it was so flavorful and amazing fresh out of the oven. Love love love this and will absolutely make it again!
So happy everyone loved this one! 🙂
“this bread is so damn good” – my husband. I had to sub olive oil for coconut oil, old fashioned oats for quick oats, and blended up an apple to make apple sauce because we didn’t have any, and it STILL turned out amazing. THANK YOU for another amazing recipe, and keeping me busy cooking and baking delicious and nutritious food during this COVID-19 quarantine.
Perfect!! So glad you two loved this one!
Made this the other day and it was DELICIOUS! I substituted the oil with more apple sauce, added diced dried apricot because I ran out of raisins, and added unsweetened shredded coconut. So moist and well balanced… definitely a keeper!
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Delicious!
What should I do if I don’t have applesauce? Can I omit?
I would suggest using 1 ripe banana instead. You can also puree one peeled apple in the food processor and use that.
I’m excited to try this!! Quick question – Would this be okay to use butter in place of coconut oil and granulated date sugar in place of coconut sugar?
Yes both of those subs should work out well!
How do you think this would be without the icing? I want to make something for Easter, but ingredients are so limited right now and we don’t have cream cheese 🙁
It will still be delicious!
Tastes just like a carrot cake with just a hint of banana bread. This is the perfect recipes cross!
Absolutely! Love the flavor combo 🙂
Just made this for Easter brunch, and wow was it amazing! Read comments before and added extra TBSP of flour due to higher climate and it came out perfect. Made it with your quiche and blueberry sausage and all was so amazing! Thanks for helping our Easter brunch at home be so good!!
The perfect Easter brunch! So glad you enjoyed!
What can you substitute for coconut milk & 1 tsp vanilla is that the same as vanilla extract?
Amy
You can use almond milk instead if you’d like and yes it’s vanilla extract!
Made this recipe as muffins with my boyfriend this weekend and they have been a huge hit with both of us! We cannot stop eating them! So tasty and filling. I left off the frosting and have had them with a rotating selection of yogurt, cottage cheese, and nut butter. All very yummy toppings. We choose to also add i raisins and I would have thrown in coconut to if we had it. This will be a regular recipe for us. Thank you!
Amazing! So happy you both loved these!
So Delicious !!!!
Glad you enjoyed!
Just made this with our young boys and can’t wait to taste it! Unfortunately, since our boys are 2 and 5 years old, it’s a little hard to stay 100% focused, so I accidentally added the coconut oil to the wet ingredients, before mixing the wet and dry. We’ll see how it turns out, but just curious as to why the coconut oil needs to be added last? Thanks!
I hope you’re loving it! The coconut oil is added last to make sure that it doesn’t coagulate when added to the wet (colder) ingredients.
I did the same thing and it was fine – still amazingly delicious!
I would love to make this delicious recipe but I have high blood pressure. I make it for a church event and for the holidays. So thank you so much. Be blessed and safe.
I’m glad it’s a hit for events! Stay safe!
I don’t have apple sauce or nutmeg, what could I use instead ?
Feel free to omit the nutmeg. For the applesauce, I would suggest using 1 ripe banana instead. You can also puree one peeled apple in the food processor and use that.
Any body tried it with an applesauce substation?
What the what? Followed the recipe to a T but didn’t have powdered sugar so I ground some organic cane sugar before processing it with the cream cheese, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice (out of cinnamon – pandemic) and HOLY CANNOLI! DERlicious! Was tired of banana bread so I googled other things to do with ripe bananas. This is one for the books!
Amazing! Glad you loved this one!
Fantastic cake ! I just baked it using 3/4 cup coconut flour and 3/4 plain flour. Absolutely amazing ! Really moist cake. I used 100g of sugar (50/50 packed brown and coconut), 125g of grated carrots and 90g of apple compote, the cake turned out a treat. For the icing I only had 30g of powdered sugar but that was more than enough to make the frosting sweet. Love this recipe, will be making it again.
Perfect! So glad you loved it!
I made it yesterday and it was still pasty after 1 hour and 15 minutes . I think there is so much flour in it and at the same time few eggs with this ingredient .it should have 2 eggs not one . I throw it away . It was the worst one . plz dont make it . Its waste of time
Hi Mary! Sorry to hear that you had trouble. I’ve made this bread countless times and can assure you that it’s written correctly with the right number of eggs. I would suggest double checking your measurements!
Great recipe, everyone loved it
I’m so glad!
I just made it and it was delicious. My boyfriend loved to. So tasty and healthy. Thanks very much!
Amazing! I’m so glad 🙂
Hi! Just curious if you have tried subbing some almond or cassava flour for the whole wheat pastry flour?
Thanks!
Hi! I haven’t, but let me know if you try it!
Loved this carrot cake banana bread loaf! It was just the right amount of sweetness, but I also felt good eating it (for breakfast lol). My dad just had a piece with peanut butter and said he liked the heartiness of the bread. I did half cassava flour and half white whole wheat… turned out great!
Love that! So glad you both enjoyed 🙂
This cake is one of the most incredibly delicious cakes you will ever eat!! I’ve made it 3 times already during lockdown and will make it many more times in future. I first tried it to use up some overripe bananas. Now I make sure I keep some bananas to go overripe so I can make this cake! Love it!! Thank you!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that!
My new favorite bread recipe. I’ve made it 2 or 2 times now. We are addicted!! I leave off the frosting only so it’s easier to take for morning snacks in baggies. I love the denser texture and that it’s not super sweet!!
I’m so glad! Love the idea of a little morning snack on-the-go.
We don’t have whole wheat pastry flour here in my country, so I followed your suggestion to sub it with all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. But for me it was still quite dense, so different from the one you’ve shown on the video. The second time I made it, I used half of cake flour and half whole wheat flour. It turned out great and not dense. Yumm!
Sorry to hear that the all purpose + whole wheat flours didn’t work out – so strange! I’m glad that new combo did!
This recipe is definitely 5 stars!!! I made 12 muffins instead of a cake. Baked for 24-26 minutes. They turned out super moist and have the perfect combo of banana and carrot flavors! I used a vegan cashew crème cheese instead of regular and it was perfect and dairy free!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Delicious and healthy all at the same time! I added coconut flakes and pineapple! It freezes and defrost beautifully too.
Perfect! So glad you love it!
Hi, where do you mix in the coconut oil? I’m guessing with the wet ingredients, but I don’t see it in the steps. I may be missing it though!
I’m silly, I found the coconut oil step!
Perfect! It’s a little different adding it in at the very end of mixing 🙂
This was tasty. Forgot to make the frosting so when I ate it I put butter and a little cinnamon and sugar on it. Did not add nuts, used whole wheat flour, and it took longer to bake than the specified time. Yum!
I’m glad it still worked out well with the flour! Perfect snack or breakfast 🙂
Hi ! Your recipe seems like heaven ! I want to try it, but I’m not sure I will have enough bananas, Can I replace one banana with one more egg ? Is it possible to totally replace the bananas with applesauce or eggs ? Thanks !
You could replace the banana with applesauce and I think it could come out okay, just maybe with a little less sweetness
This recipe looks so amazing and will surely satisfy me and my family on Thanksgiving! Carrot cake is one of my dad’s favorite desserts, but I want him to eat healthier, so this will be the perfect treat 🙂 If I do not have a loaf pan, can I also make this is a 7×11 baking dish? Would this affect the time it is baked?
Yes that should work. I can’t be positive about baking time, but I would guess slightly less!
I used a little more of the each of the spices and baked as muffins. I also subbed the apple sauce for yogurt. Honestly, an awesome recipe that I can’t wait to bake again and again! The house smelled amazing!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack as muffins.
This bread is soo good! I didn’t have applesauce so I just used more coconut oil (about 60ml in total). I mixed in shredded coconut and skipped the nuts. I now must resist eating the whole thing tonight.
Thanks for another fab recipe AK!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
This looks so yummy and would love to make it but I don’t have applesauce, would it be a 1/4 cup oil instead?
Thanks
Joanne
Yes that will work well!
So delicious! I was looking for a new, healthier way to bake with my overly ripe bananas and found this beauty of a recipe. I did modify a few things: all-around flour instead of whole wheat, canola oil instead of coconut oil (I was out 😕), brown sugar instead of coconut sugar, and made 12 cupcakes (350° for 17 mins) instead of a loaf. SOOO good! My family munched up several before I could frost them! Next time I’ll make these after restocking my pantry…going to go wild and try using the whole wheat flour and coconut sugar – both brand new to me! Thank you very much for this recipe, I indeed feel truly ambitious! 😊
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Perfect snack or treat 🙂
Yummy! Husband approved! I didn’t include the frosting in order to cut some sugar, but I can imagine how even more yummy it would be with frosting! I also used 1/3 cup honey because I added raisins which I figured would add in the missing sweetness. I also added in the walnuts and unsweetened coconut. Thank you!
This is by far the best muffin I’ve ever cook. My two years old son loved them too. 🙂
So happy to hear that!
I’ve made this previously and it was a 10/10 recipe so I came back to it today to make with my 15month old in attempts to have him eat carrots! I had to make a couple subs since I’m snowed in- yogurt with a little more milk for the applesauce and gluten free flour for the whole wheat. It still turned out amazing but of course your recipe as written is the best version 🙂 and Brooks loves it too. Thank you!
Perfect! Such a great snack or breakfast 🙂
The most delicious carrot cake banana bread. Definitely gonna make it again🤤
Glad you loved it!!
Made this recipe into muffins today and they’re great! I used all purpose flour, old fashioned oats, and oat milk because those were what I had on hand. I also added raisins and shredded coconut and it definitely made the carrot cake flavor even better! I did have to bake them longer than recommended (probably about 22 minutes or so) because the center wasn’t quite passing the toothpick test at 15-18 min. They’re still moist inside though!
Perfect! Glad you loved them!
I love this recipe but wish it wasn’t LOW FAT! Fat for fuel (Mercola) & Weston Price are just two examples of nutritionists who have data that low-fat is NOT actually healthy, especially the GOOD fats! I’m modifying mine to include raw, organic coconut oil (but I love apple sauce in cake recipes). Otherwise, beautiful recipe!
Glad you enjoyed! And yes, feel free to adjust to your preferences 🙂
My kids devoured this! I used what I have on hand so whole wheat flour, milk and brown sugar. My 5 year old would eat only the frosting and toss the cake so I layered the frosting with the batter and used a knife to swirl. Baked for 40ish minutes. delic!
Perfect! So glad it was a hit 🙂
I made this carrot banana bread last year and was wondering how did you make it healthier this year, when the ingredients are exactly the same? Thank you.
The title and recipe are the same! It was a healthier carrot cake banana bread last year and still is 🙂
Our family has a tradition of making banana bread every Friday afternoon for Shabbat, and when I saw this post on Instagram it looked so good that I just needed to try it out!! Let’s just say this recipe did not disappoint!!! The cake is so moist and flavorful, not overly sweet, and made me feel good that it was healthier because of the choice of ingredients. The cream cheese frosting is delicious. I did put a little less sugar than the recipe asked for, and still tasted amazing!!! I already shared the recipe with all my family and friends 🙂
Love that! So glad it was a hit!
Made as is, added raisins. Delish!!!
Love that! Glad you enjoyed!
Hi Monique,
I LOVE carrot cake and banana bread but most of the recipes I have found are so high in fat and calories. This recipe is what I have been looking for! I made muffins instead of a loaf and decided not to add the cream cheese frosting (to save a few calories and WW points). I’m sure the frosting is delicious but I’d like to know if the nutrition value includes the frosting?
Thank you!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed! And yes, the nutrition includes the frosting.
I failed to mention how delicious this recipe is and it will definitely be my go to!
I didn’t make the icing for this, so that could have improved it a bit, but to me it was just a good bread. It wasn’t my favorite one I’ve ever had, but it wasn’t bad by any means! A nice healthy snack to have around and my toddler likes it too!
Sorry to hear that it wasn’t your favorite, but glad you enjoyed!
I tried this recipe yesterday and our family enjoyed it! I added shredded coconut which gave it a good crunch. I’m wondering if you can replace the sugar with honey or maple sugar and reduce the milk. I’ll give it a try.
Glad it was a hit! Let me know how those swaps go 🙂
I used everything as it is listed in this recipe and it worked out perfect!! love the combo of carrot and banana😋
The best flavor! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This bread is delicious! As the recipe says, the perfect mix of healthy, with just the right amount of indulgent. I made the recipe as is – it was perfectly moist and stayed nice in the fridge in an airtight container. Definitely going to keep this in the rotation for spring brunches, when family visits, or just because!
Absolutely! Glad you loved it!
Looks SO good! I would love to make this for Easter brunch! How fine should I shred the carrots??
Perfect for Easter! I usually use a medium grate for the carrots 🙂
I did modify this recipe a little. I used half whole wheat and half all purpose flour. I soaked my golden raisins in a water/bourbon mixture and instead of applesauce I used full fat greek yogurt. It turned out to be straight up banana bread. It was a ton of work and clean up for ‘carrot cake.’ The spices need to be at least doubled which I did to the frosting to try and salvage it. I have tried many of your recipes and loved them, but this one fell flat. If I make it again I will scratch the banana and use double coconut sugar, which is actually better anyway and double the spice. It is banana bread not carrot cake. I’m sorry. I have recommended several people to your website but this is definitely not this recipe.
I’ve found this one to have good carrot cake flavor with the banana, but sorry to hear that you didn’t love it!
This bread is soooo incredibly delicious, it really deserves any 5 star review that it got! Came out perfectly and is so moist and fluffy. Simply loving it! Even my boyfriend who isn’t into baked goods at all loved it and came back for seconds.
So glad you both loved it!!
This is yummy and not too sweet! I used the 3/4 cup white all purpose plus 3/4 whole wheat flour substitution and the brown sugar substitution and it worked great. I used a standard loaf pan for 42 minutes and it was slightly soft in center—would cook just a tad longer next time.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂 And yes feel free to keep it in a few minutes longer next time.
Ambitious Kitchen, I certainly have egg on my face. I complained that I thought this bread was too bananary and lacked in spice. Well, that was the day I made it. The next day it was more mellow on the banana. By day 2-3, it was awesome!! I couldn’t even taste the banana. The addition of extra spice in the frosting and soaking golden raisins in a little bourbon really did add to it, It is a very moist cake and given a little age, it was really good and flavorful. I’ll be making it again. Sorry about the first email.
Hi! I’m so glad the bread got even better for you 🙂 The flavors do tend to intensify and the bread gets even more moist and delicious after a couple days! Those bourbon soaked raisins sound delicious, too!
This was delicious! We all loved it and I’m saving the recipe! For the frosting, I opted for a Greek yogurt/maple syrup mix, which was a bit runny, but it worked.
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
I loved this bread and so did my husband and toddler. The directions were easy to follow and the golden raisins made it extra juicy. My family wanted to eat it before I had time to make the frosting, haha!
Yay!! I’m so happy you guys are all loving it 🙂
I never make sweet breads because there is usually so much sugar, HOWEVER, this one is so delicious and doesn’t use a lot of sugar. It’s full of so many goodies, I already know it will be on repeat this Fall and Winter. Cook time was about 10 minutes longer in my oven.
Nice! So happy to hear you loved it 🙂 And thanks for the note about the cook time, ovens can be so different!
I’m considering making this into a two-tiered cake, with gluten-free flour. Do you think this is doable? Any amendments you’d make?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not totally sure, sorry! I also have recipes for a GF carrot cake + GF banana cake, just FYI!
Wow!! These are delicious and I haven’t even made the icing yet 🤣 I didn’t have baking soda so I substituted for self raising flour (I’m in Australia). I also used half the sugar and added two tablespoons honey instead and one more banana for sweetness!!
I had left over batter and my five yr old and nine month old were too eager, so I used the batter as pancake batter and again, they were delicious!! I added more oat milk for a runnier consistency 👌
Didn’t rise like your picture, I feel I didn’t over stir but I used oat milk as that and soy was all I had so maybe that was the issue.
Sorry, not quite sure what you mean — what kind of soy product are you talking about and did you omit something and replace it with the soy?
I made this bread and I have to say I am really impressed. I used all purpose flour, but the texture was still good. I used applesauce and it does reduce the fat content but not the moisture. I didn’t use nuts or raisins, but only because I didn’t have any. However, I used brown treacle sugar instead of coconut sugar and it wasn’t overly sweet. In fact the icing sugar and cream cheese is a welcome sweetener because the bread itself isn’t too sweet. As a calorie counter who is into fitness and low carb meals, this is a treat for high carb days. Thanks Monique, you have a gift for creating tasty, healthy dishes.
Thanks so much for sharing all of this! I’m SO happy you enjoyed it!
Like everything that you do AMAZING cake! My husband said that it was one the best cakes that I’ve made so far😊 thank you
I’ve added silvered almonds as my son is allergic to walnuts.
Wonderful bread! The texture is awesome-I am sold on using WW pastry flour! I used honey as the sweetener, added walnuts and unsweetened coconut. I did use 2% milk. I didn’t frost it. I had to do a quality sample and it was delish! My husband doesn’t like sweet breads-he sampled too and really liked it! It is a keeper.
Delicious and super moist! I subbed 1 cup 1:1 GF flour and 1/2 cup oat flour and made muffins. They turned out great!
Thank you so much, is delicious!!
This recipe is outstanding! I used cup for cup gluten-free flour and it worked great. I also added two heaping cups of vanilla protein powder Plus all your suggested yummy add-ins like shredded coconut and raisins. Slather on some peanut butter and this is a slam dunk for breakfast.
Hello! I am in the middle of making your banana carrot bread as MUFFINS and I’m not sure how many muffins this recipe will make. I have a dozen 3/4 full cups with lots left over. So, do I fill these cups all the way to the top or does the recipe make 24 muffins? Thanks!
I realized the Easter muffin liners I was using were stiff and not spreading out – but they did once in the oven. I filled 12 muffin cups and they rose and are beautiful! Will enjoy with our Easter brunch 🙂 I did bake for 22 minutes. Wish I could post a photo! And, yes, I cut into a muffin to make sure they were good at 20 minutes and instantly fell in love as once I cut it I HAD to eat it. The nutmeg comes through very nicely! Thank you!
Hi, Cassie! I haven’t actually made these as muffins but I’m so glad to hear they turned out amazing!! Thanks for sharing, and hope you have a lovely Easter 🙂
Super delicious! I used a flax egg and cinnamon applesauce (I was just low on ingredients) and I added 1/3 cup each of coconut flakes and walnut pieces. Even with these modifications it still turned out amazing! I ended up cooking mine for about 55 minutes in a loaf pan!
So happy that all worked out well and that you enjoyed it, Nathalie! Thanks so much for leaving a review 🙂
Recipe sounds wonderful. I’d like to add in crushed pineapple. How much should I add and with the added moistness do I need to change anything in the recipe?
Hi! I actually haven’t tested that and I’m not sure how it would affect the bake because it would add moisture. Sorry I can’t give instructions!
Very good cake. Dense but good. I made a few changes: used 1/4 crushed pineapple instead of applesauce, 1/2 c chopped pecans, brown sugar, vegetable oil instead of coconut oil, and did not frost. It was sweet enough. I baked the bread in my 8 1/2” x 4 pan for 45 minutes. This was plenty of time.
Happy to hear that all worked well! So glad you enjoyed it, Gail 🙂
Hi Monique! I would love to make this today, but I don’t have any applesauce. Do you think it would work to add 1/4 cup extra banana or Greek yogurt? Thank you!
Sorry, I forgot to fill in my contact info when I originally wrote my question.
Bummer. I followed this to a T and it was very cardboard-y. The baking soda seems like it’s too much for this recipe. Half of it ended up in the garbage.
Oh no, so sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out for you. I don’t think the baking soda has anything to do with it, did you change anything about the recipe?
is the calorie count with the frosting ?
My toddler and I love this! We’re eating it a bit warm because we couldn’t wait. I skipped the frosting this time.
We used King Arthur cup for cup GF flour and I used 1/3 cup real maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar. I finely grated our carrots and we went nuts with add ins – raisins, coconut, and pecans. Mine took 50 min in the 8×4 loaf pan. This totally scratches my carrot cake itch and it’s a healthy snack for both of us. Will be sharing the recipe with others! Thank you!
Correction on my comment – 50 min left the middle a little undone. No big deal, but I’ll give it a few more minutes next time.
Yay! I am glad you are both loving this bread, thank you for sharing ❤️
This was so delicious, especially the frosting! I used equal parts of white and wheat flour and rolled oats, instead of quick, because that’s what I had.
Can you do this in a Bundt pan?
Hi! I don’t think there will be enough batter to fill a bundt pan.
Can I ask, why whole wheat pastry flour? Can I use regular unbleached flour? I am going out of town to visit family and don’t want to buy a whole bag of something that may not get used again.
Thanks!
I love baking with whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour) because it’s lighter and fluffier while also providing whole grains. This should turn out with all purpose flour, it may just not be as light and fluffy!
Yum!!! I added a little clove and ginger to my batter. Made extra frosting to slather on each slice because I can. Super yummy! Will def make again. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Love it! I’m all about extra frosting 🙂
Delicious! Yum! Had some dairy free guests so put out cream cheese and cinnamon for those who wanted to top their slice (like me). Not overly sweet- just right- so wholesome and yummy.
Cut into it before remembering to take a photo.
But I have one with it half eaten 😂
Forgot this
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
Perfect! Glad it was a hit!
Mine didnt rise but it flavorable Will make again
Hmmm double check and make sure your baking soda is fresh!
This came out delicious! I subbed for gluten free all purpose flour from Trader Joe’s and the bread came out perfectly. So moist inside and the frosting is delicious.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
A HUGE thank you for listing measurements in grams!
PLEASE go through your recipes and update them all. Many would appreciate it.
Thank you ❤️
Absolutely! We’re working on adding these for all of our baking recipes, but as you can imagine it’s a pretty long process as it’s done manually.
Made this bread yesterday and was really happy with the results! It yielded a moist, slightly sweet bread. You can eat it as is or add the frosting for an extra sweet treat! I had a little bit of trouble figuring out when it was done baking as the top looks golden brown before its done. Bu I kept adding 4 min and testing it with a toothpick, and it came out perfect! #AKRecipeoftheMonth.
Such a great brunch treat! The toothpick method is always your best bet 🙂
Delicious recipe! #akrecipeofthemonth
Glad you enjoyed!
I made this as muffins this morning, and oh my goodness – delicious! Bonus that the house smells amazing. #AKrecipeofthemonth
So good!!
Turned them into muffins and they were delish! I would have preferred a bit sweeter and more fat, but I adjusted this by adding whipped honey butter to the muffins before eating and they were delish!! Adjusted cook time to 7min @ 425 then reduced to 350 for about 20min to bake super large muffins (made 6 total, could have easily made 12 normal sized instead). Will try again adding more oil for milk and sugar for applesauce. Great healthy recipe as is though!! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Perfect! I kept the sugar content in the bread itself a bit lower to account for the sweetness of the frosting 🙂 but the honey butter sounds delicious!
I might possibly like this even more than carrot cake. It baked up beautifully and the cream cheese frosting perfectly compliments the flavors of the bread. #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
So good!! Glad you love it!
This was a really yummy banana bread! I used brown sugar and threw in an little
Cardamom, then added chopped pecans and cashews, raisins and candied ginger! Overall great recipe!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This was absolutely delicious! I made it using 1:1 GF glour, and it turned out perfectly! I can’t wait to make it again and share it with my family!
I enjoyed this spin on banana bread. Carrot cake is my favorite cake, so this #AKRecipeoftheMonth was a no-brainer to make! I like the use of whole wheat flour as it elevates the taste. I decided to add raisins and coconut to drive home the carrot cake flavors
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
Wow! This turned out so delicious. I substituted equal parts maple syrup for applesauce (I never have the latter on hand) and it’s divine. I skipped the frosting and didn’t miss it. Perfect to make when you only have 2 bananas on hand.
Will be a repeat recipe for us.
and thank you for adding the gram measurements!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
YUM!!! this was the perfect rainy Saturday baking activity and was a huge hit with everyone I shared it with. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Absolutely! So glad it was a hit!
Yum! Carrot/Banana Loaf was delicious!! Ran out of applesauce, so swapped with greek yogurt – result was perhaps a bit crumblier, but very tasty. Love the accompaniment with my personal favourite frosting – cream cheese! Thanks for this one Monique! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
I’m glad it was still delicious! Love that cream cheese frosting 🙂
I made this recipe exactly as written for #AKRecipeoftheMonth. It didn’t last more than 2 days in my house, especially since we ate this for breakfast, snack, and dessert. Yum!!
Love that!!
WOW! This was incredible. It was super flavorful and great texture. I could basically eat a container of the frosting…
#AKRecipeOfTheMonth
So good!! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Such a delicious pairing of 2 bakery greats! Made this exactly as written (sans nuts), and it came out perfectly moist and delicious!! Don’t skip the frosting either! Baked mine in a 9×5 pan and it was perfect after 40 minutes. Will definitely be making again when I have overripe bananas to use! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
These were phenomenal. I was craving carrot cake and these definitely hit the spot. I made them into muffins and they were perfect. Love how it has everything good like nutmeg, cinnamon, banana, apple sauce, coconut oil etc. They were so light and fluffy even though I had to use all purpose flour. i am making these again for sure!
Perfect! So glad you loved them!
I love how hearty and delicious this loaf is! It is moist and has to much flavor and the frosting is to die for!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
The best! Glad you loved it!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This carrot cake bread was SO good it actually tasted like carrot cake omg. Next time, I’d just double the frosting cause mama loves herself some frosting 😋😋😋
#AKRecipeoftheMonth
This carrot cake bread was DELICIOUS, it tasted just like actual carrot cake. Next time I’d double the frosting however cause mama loves herself some thick frosting 😂😋
So good! I’m all about extra frosting 😉
Hi! Can I sub Greek yogurt for the applesauce?
Hi! I’d suggest swapping for ripe, mashed banana or extra oil instead.
Can I use regular all purpose flour and organic whole milk in this recipe? That’s all I have on hand:(
That should work! Just note that the bread might be a bit denser.
#AKRecipeoftheMonth My family loved this recipe! Even my picky toddler devoured it. I forgot to add the coconut flake to the batter so I just sprinkled it on top of the frosting and it was so delicious!
Love it!!
I am going to make this , this afternoon!! Do you think all spelt flour will work? Or 1/2 and 1/2 with all purpose?
Thanks so much for all u you our amazing recipes. I was delighted to see that a flax egg can be used as my granddaughter has allergies to eggs and I am always impressed to see you include vegan substitute ideas!
Hi! I haven’t tested this with spelt flour so I’m not 100% sure. Let me know if you try it!
I made this bread and it was delicious!
I would like to make it with gluten free rice flour.
Can you please include a recipe for this delicious bread with correct measurements for GF flour?
So glad you enjoyed! I haven’t tested this bread with GF flour, but I suspect that 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour OR oat flour would work using the same measurements. I’m not sure about rice flour.
I didn’t have whole wheat pastry flour, so subbed for 1/2 regular whole wheat and 1/2 AP. Added all the goodies…walnuts, coconut, and raisins. YUM! And the cream cheese frosting is the perfect amount of sweet without being too much! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Perfect! So glad you loved it!
Hi! Do you think I can use regular whole wheat flor for this recipe? 💖
Hi! I’d recommend doing a mix of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour instead of all whole wheat flour. I’m afraid that all whole wheat flour will make the bread too dense!
Thank you!! I love you! 💖💖💖💖
Flavorful, fast, healthier treat! Comes together with easy ingredients already available in my kitchen. I love the healthier swaps made in this recipe compared to a traditional carrot cake or banana bread! The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is a nice touch and helps add moisture to the bread.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious! We are big fans of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, so this healthier version is right up our alley. I made mine into a dozen muffins which took 21 minutes to bake. Thanks! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Love that! Glad the muffins were a hit 🙂
#AKRecipeoftheMonth, I used all purpose flour, and added raisins and coconut (definitely recommend adding those as it adds to the flavor and interesting texture). The measurements in grams is so helpful! The cream cheese frosting is easy to make and DELICIOUS.
Perfect! So glad you loved it!
So good! I added raisins and coconut and it came out perfectly 😍 I think this might be the first bread recipe I’ve ever made with carrots – tastes great! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This was a great easy recipe! The bread wasn’t too sweet, so the cream cheese frosting was a perfect touch. I didn’t have nutmeg, so I just added a little extra cinnamon and it still tasted great #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious recipe. I followed recipe as written. Er tried a slice and plan to have more for a special breakfast tomorrow, Easter morning. Next time, I will make muffins and extra frosting. Definitely, a keeper recipe for those ripe bananas.
Amazing! Happy you loved it 🙂
Been saving this recipe for Easter weekend …….what a treat 😋
Loved how deliciously moist the texture is, I made it using everything suggested – I added in the walnuts and shedded coconut too but no raisins. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting really is the icing on the cake which compliments and completes this bread perfectly 😊🤗
Great recipe for #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! So glad you loved it!
#AKRecipeoftheMonth made this for Easter breakfast, and it was delish! We omitted the icing and used a slather of creamed honey instead 😋
Love that! Glad it was a hit!
The carrot banana bread recipe was packed with so much flavor and a variety of textures. The spices mixed with the pecans worked so well together. The cream cheese frosting was hands down the BEST frosting I have ever had – the cinnamon add in was amazing. #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
Amazing! So glad you loved this one!
So freaking delicious!! The frosting is unreal. I love it Monique! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
So freaking delicious! The frosting was unreal! You killed this one, Monique!! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Yay so glad you loved it!!
We really enjoyed this! I added all the extra ingredients and it still held together. Not all carrot cakes do. Thank you for including weights! It makes everything easier and more accurate. A joy to make and eat
Forgot to add! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
So happy you loved it!
This recipe is a keeper! Love how moist and delicious it is. Pluses for the healthy ingredients. After cooling, I sliced and then froze the bread. It will be great while traveling in our. Motorhome!
Absolutely! Perfect treat.
Another win! You can’t go wrong with this as a treat for those who don’t like things that are overly sweet, but also those with a sweet tooth will be satisfied with the cream cheese frosting. I included the chopped walnuts and shredded coconut as mix ins and it had great texture.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
I would love to try soon! How to make it a baby (1 year old) friendly layered CAKE version?Should I sub the flour for the consistency? Thank you.
I think it would be a much different recipe to replace all of the ingredients making it baby friendly! Try my smash cake here instead 🙂
I made this for my husband’s birthday & it came out so well! I added 1/4tsp ginger & 1/8 cardamom and I also baked it in a square 8×8 glass dish greased with coconut oil. I should note that when measuring ingredients, the weights were not consistent with the volume measurements (& I didn’t pack down anything) so I tended to follow the volume measure instead. I was a bit concerned it wouldn’t turn out ok but it was actually great. (For example, 100g grated carrots was less than 1 med/large carrot, definitely not 2 and I believe the flour weight was 50g over what the recipe weight was, etc.) I also added 1/2c walnuts & 1/2c raisins, which was perfect. I baked it for 50 min in the square dish but probably should have checked it at 45 min just to be safe. (Perhaps should also note that I had about a 1.5 hr gap between making the cake & baking, so it was in the fridge in the interim). The coconut oil in the dish allowed it to separate well onto the drying rack, which was a relief as I was far too lazy to use parchment paper lining as well. Great recipe, I’ll definitely make this one again!
So glad it turned out delicious! I made sure to weigh each ingredient here, but will double check them with your notes 🙂 thank you!
This was delicious! I will definitely be making it again!
So happy to hear that!
Okay…this was freaking delicious. My journey for finding a healthier version of carrot banana cake is over. Mine took 90 minutes to cook – i have a deeper bread loaf tin i think. I also doubled the cream cheese frosting because its just soo good hehe. Thank you
So glad you loved it!
Hello, your recipe sounds delicious but I am unable to eat oats. Have you possibly ever made it without? I’m trying to find a healthier substitute for my mother’s fantastic Carrot Banana Nut Bread.
Thank you,
Heidi
Hi! I’ve only make the cake as is – sorry!
I made it yesterday and it turned out great… it’s a keeper. Everyone loved it. I used 3/4 cup of each APF and whole wheat flour.
Perfect!!
Delicious and moist!
Substituted apple sauce 1:1 for greek yogurt which had no changes to the moisture. Added in shredded coconut, hemp hearts, and also pumpkin extract in the cake and icing for a more fall flavour. Lastly subbed almond milk for oat milk. Amazing, will make again!!
Perfect! Glad those swaps and additions worked out well!
Is it possible to use just all purpose flour ? Would me measurements change ?
I’d recommend making this as is for the right texture!
Just delicious! Your recipe was right on the mark, mine baked beautifully with a nice crust in 45 minutes. I added pecans and coconut to the bananas and carrots. I doubled the recipe since I had a lot of bananas and it was really perfect. Thanks!
So happy to hear that!
I just made this for a Sunday breakfast treat, and I love telling my toddlers that we’re having cake for breakfast and knowing it’s healthy. I used all of the optional inclusions and walnuts instead of pecans because that’s what I had on hand. The icing makes just the right amount. I’ll definitely make this again, probably for Easter breakfast to go with hard boiled eggs.
Such a great breakfast for kiddos (and Easter!)
This is a little labor intensive but well worth it! I made them into muffins and cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup. I did add the walnuts, coconuts and raisins. The 15 year-old exclaimed she loved them! She didn’t notice the missing sugar. I did not add the frosting either. For health reasons, sugar is limited.
I will make them again because they are so good!! They are moist. I think I may make it into bread and serve is for Easter brunch!
Amazing! Glad they were a hit 🙂
Loved it! I skipped the frosting and served each piece with whole milk yogurt and honey. I feel like it needed that extra punch of sweet and moisture/cream — huge fan! Will make again. — Also, baked this in a 9×9 glass dish lined with parchment paper for 40 minutes & topped with rolled oats, crushed walnuts and turbanido sugar before baking. The extra texture was nice while serving, + I’d omitted the walnuts from the bread itself.
P.S. Literally every time I go to bake, I search for anything from Ambitious Kitchen. I’ve bought your cookbook for like 5 people and obviously have it myself. Thank you!! 🙂
Perfect! Great idea with the toppings. And SO happy to hear that you’ve been loving the recipe – thank you for the cookbook support!
Absolutely delicious! My whole family loved it. SO moist. Will defiantly be making again soon.
So happy to hear that!!
This was soooo tasty. I had bananas to use up and been craving carrot cake and this really hit the spot especially with the icing! I liked that I had all ingredients on hand too. Very moist as well
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
I haven’t pulled it out of the oven yet and have had 3 neighbors text me asking what I’m baking. My house smells so good that I felt like I needed to leave a review about it.
I hope you loved it!!