Apple Carrot Bread — This apple carrot bread tastes like carrot cake that’s been infused with apples. It’s a no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes!
Apple Carrot Bread Recipe
This is carrot cake that’s been infused with apples and baked as a loaf. So it’s not cake anymore. It’s bread. Therefore you can have more and definitely can have it for breakfast.
Baking with both carrots and apples not only adds chewy texture and natural sweetness, but they also add so much moisture that it’s impossible to have a dry loaf. I adapted the basic ratios from my Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread, a personal and fan favorite, to make way for grated carrots and apples.
I grated the carrot and apple by hand using the coarsest blade on a box grater. It literally takes two minutes and I’d spend much more time washing food processor parts than quickly doing it the old-fashioned way.
It’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. The batter is very thick and that’s by design. The carrots and apples release juices while baking and if you start with a thin batter, it’ll turn too soupy during baking.
It’s soft, tender, uber-moist, dense enough to be satisfying, but still light. The cinnamon and nutmeg really shine and add so much wonderful, rich, depth of flavor to the carrots and apples. The carrots dominate and the bread has a more pronounced ‘carrot cake’ taste than apple.
It was so flavorful and moist that I didn’t even need butter. Although a browned butter glaze can do no wrong if you’re so inclined.
What’s in Apple Carrot Bread?
For this carrot apple bread recipe, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Coconut oil
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Gound nutmeg
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
- Grated apples
- Grated carrots
Can I Substitute the Coconut Oil?
I used melted coconut oil so there’s no butter to cream and no mixer to dirty. Oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter, and I prefer the taste.
Coconut oil adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but substitute with them if you’d like.
What Are the Best Apples for Apple Bread?
Any apple will work for this carrot apple bread recipe! I used a large Fuji apple, but Gala and Honeycrisp would work as well.
How to Make Carrot Apple Bread
This carrot apple cinnamon bread couldn’t be easier to make! Simply whisk together the egg, sugars, melted coconut oil, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then fold in the remaining ingredients.
Turn the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once the bread is out of the oven, let it rest in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing it to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Can I Make This in a Smaller Loaf Pan?
I baked the bread in a 9×5-inch pan because I was concerned that the moisture-heavy ingredients crammed into an 8×4-inch pan would take forever to cook through and a larger pan felt safer. In retrospect, an 8×4-inch would probably have been fine. The shorter height of the bread didn’t effect our inhaling of it in one day.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, simply double the ingredients and bake in two loaf pans. I’ve also had readers report success doubling the recipe and baking it in a metal 9×13-inch pan or a metal bundt pan.
Can I Freeze Carrot Quick Bread?
Absolutely! This apple carrot bread recipe is great for freezing. Wrap in a few layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze for up to three months.
Tips for Making Carrot Loaf Bread
When mixing together the batter, make sure the sour cream and egg are at room temperature. If they’re both still cold, the melted coconut oil will partially resolidify and you’ll wind up with chunks of oil running through the batter.
When baking the bread, you may need to tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped loosely over it at the 35-minute mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through.
Baking times will vary based on moisture content of carrots, apples, climate, and oven variances. You need to bake the carrot bread until done; watch your bread, not the clock and don’t worry if it takes longer to bake than the baking estimates provided.
When serving this apple cinnamon bread, I highly recommend slathering it with Homemade Honey Butter or Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or drizzling it with a Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze. It’s delicious as is, of course, but these extra toppings really take it up a notch.
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Carrot Apple Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup liquid-state coconut oil, canola or vegetable may be substituted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cup sour cream, lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ¾ cup grated carrots, about 1 large peeled and trimmed carrot
- ¾ cup grated apples, I used 1 medium unpeeled Fuji; try Gala, Honeycrisp or similar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. (I haven’t tried the recipe in an 8×4-inch pan and cannot comment on how long it will take to bake, but use an 8×4 pan if you prefer a taller loaf.)
- In a large bowl, add the the first eight ingredients, through nutmeg, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Add the carrots, apples, and fold gently to combine.
- Turn batter (it’s very thick, this is what you want) out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 45 to 52 minutes (I baked 50 minutes) or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.*
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.**
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Quick Bread Recipes:
Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter — Applesauce keeps this bread so soft & moist! It’s like apple spice cake, disguised as ‘bread’ so you can have extra!
Cinnamon and Spice Sweet Potato Bread — Eating your vegetables via soft, moist bread is the best way! My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes!
Apple Fritter Bread — The bread tastes as decadent as the apple fritters of my childhood, no deep frying required and it’s more like cake disguised as bread.
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread — This pumpkin chocolate chip bread is truly the best homemade pumpkin bread you’ll ever make. It’s moist, packed with chocolate chips, and tastes like fall!
Blueberry Zucchini Bread — This blueberry zucchini bread is a quick, no-mixer recipe that’s sweet, but not too sweet. Each bite is bursting with fresh blueberries!
Pumpkin Banana Bread — Soft, moist, fluffy and so much better than another loaf of plain banana bread.
Snickerdoodle Bread — Between the cinnamon-sugar on top, cinnamon in the batter, and the cinnamon chips, the bread is full of wonderful and prominent cinnamon flavor without being overpowering.
Originally published November 9, 2014 and republished on Friday, March 13, 2020 with updated text.
Oooh, this was delicious! I’m a long time and fearless baker, but I do believe in making a recipe as written the first time. The only changes were that I mixed all my dry ingredients together and added them to the wet. I used veg oil since I did not have coconut oil. And I always double a single recipe so I can freeze the other half. I baked it in a 9×13 metal pan, and watched it at the 50 min mark. All ovens vary. Took it out when the toothpick was clean. Awesome! Next time will add some raisins and walnuts! Perhaps some cream cheese icing to gild the lily or any of your other suggested glazes.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out great for you and that you doubled the recipe, too!
I made this apple carrot bread last week with whole wheat flour. I also used sucanat for the brown sugar and honey granules for the white sugar. I also used Smart Balance oil. I cut the cinnamon to 1and 1/2 tsp. My husband LOVED this bread.
Then since I had everything out I made it again using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. Made 12 muffins. I used the same sugars as before and the same oil. I have made lots of GF foods in the past for some family members. I have never made a softer GF muffin. They all LOVED them.
This is such an easy recipe to make!
I made this apple carrot bread last week with whole wheat flour. I also used sucanat for the brown sugar and honey granules for the white sugar. I also used Smart Balance oil. I cut the cinnamon to 1and 1/2 tsp. My husband LOVED this bread.
Then since I had everything out I made it again using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. Made 12 muffins. I used the same sugars as before and the same oil. I have made lots of GF foods in the past for some family members. I have never made a softer GF muffin. They all LOVED them.
This is such an easy recipe to make!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this worked out great with the oil, sugar, and GF flour you used, and both as a bread and muffins! Great job adapting things based on your needs and what you had on hand and excellent to hear that you’ve never had a softer GF muffin!
Can I use green apples? And do I have to use sour cream? I only have whipped cream in the house…
You could use green, they wouldn’t be my favorite here for their tart level though.
Whipped cream will not work. Sour cream or thick Greek yogurt are the only options.
A little bit too much cinnamon for me, but otherwise a perfect bread. Moist and fluffy and just so full of flavor. thank you
A little bit too much cinnamon for me, but otherwise a perfect bread. Moist and fluffy and just so full of flavor. thank you
Easy to scale back on that next time but glad it was perfect for you otherwise!
Thanks a lot for this recipe. For people interested in baking this gluten free, I’m posting my information. I used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure flour. I used extra light olive oil. I used a little less of each types of sugar. I find cinnamon too strong, so I only used half as much as in the recipe. I used non-fat plain Greek yogurt. Everything else was the same as in the recipe. I baked the bread in 12 muffin papers for around 24 minutes. It came out light and moist.
Thanks a lot for this recipe. For people interested in baking this gluten free, I’m posting my information. I used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure flour. I used extra light olive oil. I used a little less of each types of sugar. I find cinnamon too strong, so I only used half as much as in the recipe. I used non-fat plain Greek yogurt. Everything else was the same as in the recipe. I baked the bread in 12 muffin papers for around 24 minutes. It came out light and moist.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this came out great for you as a gluten-free muffin recipe!
I used this recipe to make carrot apple muffins for a pregnancy snack! I subbed 1 1/3c oat flour for the AP flour and used the geek yogurt. They’re delicious! Would you recommend keeping these in the fridge or on the counter in a sealed container? Thanks so much!
I used this recipe to make carrot apple muffins for a pregnancy snack! I subbed 1 1/3c oat flour for the AP flour and used the geek yogurt. They’re delicious! Would you recommend keeping these in the fridge or on the counter in a sealed container? Thanks so much!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they came out great!
For me personally on the counter in a sealed container. I really don’t like chilled muffins but you could chill them if that’s your preference.
I followed the recipe exactly as is. But the bread came out very dense, not fluffy at all. Should I use more than half a tea spoon of baking powder and baking soda? I used Bob’s Red Mill brand . Same with all purpose flower.
Bob’s Red Mill GF flour? Or their AP flour?
With either type, not sure what to tell you for sure (although this is quite common with GF flour). I use King Arthur brand AP and if for some reason I can’t find that, I use Gold Medal AP.
I made the Carrot Apple bread and took it to work to celebrate returning from the Pandemic furlough. It was an absolute hit! People loved it! After the first person tried it and spread the word, it was gone in 30 minutes. My co-workers want it made weekly.
I made the Carrot Apple bread and took it to work to celebrate returning from the Pandemic furlough. It was an absolute hit! People loved it! After the first person tried it and spread the word, it was gone in 30 minutes. My co-workers want it made weekly.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a huge hit and gone in 30 mins!
I have made this numerous times and each time it’s absolutely delicious. Perfect recipe for when you have some sour cream leftover! Quick, easy and delicious and my daughters love it too. Thank you Avery 😋
I have made this numerous times and each time it’s absolutely delicious. Perfect recipe for when you have some sour cream leftover! Quick, easy and delicious and my daughters love it too. Thank you Avery 😋
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a family favorite for you all!
Do you peel the apples first?
I do yes but it’s not imperative if you want the health benefits of keeping the skins on.