Carrot Cake Banana Bread (Printable)
A moist, spiced loaf blending banana bread tenderness with carrot cake flavors and crunchy walnuts.
# 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)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger until well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly. Add grated carrots, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.
05 - Fold in chopped nuts and raisins if desired, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs are acceptable.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture impossibly pillowy yet substantial enough to slice cleanly
- Spices that fill your entire kitchen with the kind of warmth that makes people linger
02 -
- Overmixing will make your bread tough and dense, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
- A few moist crumbs on your toothpick are perfect, but wet batter means it needs more time
03 -
- Toast your nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes before adding them to the batter
- The flavor actually develops overnight, so this tastes even better the next day