Carrot Cake Banana Bread (Printable)

A moist loaf blending carrot cake spices with tender banana sweetness. Perfect for any time of day.

# 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 (dairy or non-dairy)

→ Add-Ins

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add grated carrots, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until fully combined.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in nuts and raisins if desired.
06 - Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly.
07 - Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are acceptable).
08 - Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly moist without being dense, like the best parts of both worlds collided in your mouth
  • You get vegetables for breakfast without feeling like youre making a responsible choice
02 -
  • Dont use pre-shredded carrots from the bag, theyre too dry and wont break down properly in the batter
  • Letting the loaf cool completely before slicing is excruciating but absolutely necessary for clean edges
03 -
  • Grate your carrots against the finest side of your box grater for seamless incorporation
  • If your bananas arent quite ripe enough, bake them at 350°F for 15 minutes to concentrate the sugars