Banana Carrot Bread — EASY, no-mixer, super soft banana carrot bread that reminds me of carrot cake but healthier!! Great Easter brunch idea or spring baked good!
Easy Easter Brunch Idea
I have every possible combination of carrot + apple + zucchini + blueberry + banana quick bread. Or so I thought. But I don’t have this combo.
Springtime and Easter make me think of carrot cake, which I love, but since I have multiple recipes for it I wanted to change things up a bit. Enter: this super moist, springy, tender banana carrot bread. It’s bread that reminds me of cake and I’m not complaining.
This banana bread with sour cream is an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. I use oil rather than butter and there’s no butter to cream and no mixer to dirty. Oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter and I prefer it.
What’s in Banana Carrot Bread?
To make this banana carrot cake bread recipe, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Canola oil
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Grated carrots
- Ripe bananas
How to Make Banana Carrot Bread
This carrot cake bread recipe is very similar to your typical banana bread. Whisk together the wet ingredients and the two kinds of sugar, then stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the mashed bananas and grated carrots last.
Turn the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake 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.
You’ll need to let this banana carrot bread cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a wire rack.
Can I Make This Recipe as Banana Carrot Muffins?
Probably, but I’ve only ever made the recipe as written so I can’t advise you on the best way to turn this recipe into muffins.
Can I Add Mix-Ins?
You probably can add mix-ins like raisins or chopped walnuts, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Tips for Making Banana Carrot Bread
For an even more pronounced carrot cake flavor, you can add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the banana bread batter. And I bet a cream cheese glaze would taste amazing drizzled on top of this loaf!
Because both carrots and bananas have lots of moisture and if your bread takes longer (or shorter) than the time estimates I gave for baking, don’t worry. Bake until it’s done.
Note that this banana carrot bread freezes incredibly well. You can freeze the entire loaf or slice and freeze individual servings.
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Carrot Banana Bread
EASY, no-mixer, super soft banana carrot bread that reminds me of carrot cake but healthier!! Great Easter brunch idea or spring baked good!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cup sour cream (lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional if necessary (see step 4 in directions)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup coarsely grated carrots, laid loosely in cup and not packed (don’t wring out)
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (from about 2 medium/large bananas)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the the first six ingredients, through vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Add the carrots (grate them on the coarsest blade of a box grater), bananas, and stir to combine. The batter should be quick thick but because all carrots and bananas vary in their moisture content, you may need to add 1/4 cup additional flour. If in doubt, add flour.
- Turn batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 53 to 63 minutes (I baked 60 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
- Tip – Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped loosely over it at the 45 minute-mark to prevent top and sides from becoming overly browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of carrots, bananas, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock and don’t worry if it takes longer to bake than the baking estimates provided.
- Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Adapted from Carrot Apple Bread, Blueberry Zucchini Bread, and Zucchini Banana Bread.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 160mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
More Carrot Cake Recipes:
ALL OF MY CARROT CAKE-INSPIRED RECIPES.
Salted Caramel Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – Soft, tender carrot cake infused with salted caramel sauce and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting is the ULTIMATE in decadence!
Carrot Apple Bread — Carrot cake with apples added and baked as a bread so it’s healthier! Super moist, packed with flavor, fast and easy!
Carrot Zucchini Bread — Fast, easy, one bowl, no mixer!! Super soft, moist, and tastes so good you’ll forget it’s on the healthier side!
Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting – Soft, moist carrot cake that’s baked as a loaf. So much faster & easier than baking a cake!
Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting – My favorite foolproof recipe for soft, moist, flavorful carrot cake cupcakes!
Soft Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Glaze — Super soft bars that taste like blondies packed with chewy carrots!
Soft and Chewy Spiced Carrot Cake Cookies — All the flavors of richly spiced carrot cake, but in cookie form! Soft, chewy, extremely moist, and not at all cakey.
Vegan Carrot Cake Muffins — Fast, EASY, accidentally vegan muffins that are bursting with authentic carrot cake flavor!! If you’re looking for a healthier carrot cake recipe that tastes AMAZING, make these muffins immediately!!
Hi. I have made this recipe before and it is amazing! Thanks for the recipe. I added cranberries and walnuts or almonds… delicious. But I want to make it now and I don’t have baking soda. Can it be made it without it?
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that it has been amazing for you! If you don’t add the baking soda the bread will be denser, flatter, and won’t be as light.
I made the banana carrot bread. I added coconut, walnuts and rum flavoring. It is amazing!
The addition of coconut and the rum extract sound great! Thanks for the five star review and glad it turned out Wonderful!
Can you use frozen bananas in this recipe instead of fresh bananas?
I’ve never tried it that way. I worry a bit they could be too moist/wet but I have never baked with frozen banana that I thaw. Only made smoothies so I really don’t know. If you try, LMK how it works.
I have been trying many different banana bread recipes in an attempt to find one as good as my late dear mother’s. While hers was not carrot banana bread, this is the closest to the texture and moisture that I was looking for. I did use the yogurt instead of sour cream. It is wonderful! Definitely, the best I’ve made, so far. Thank you for this great recipe. I can’t wait to make it again! Waiting for my bananas to ripen…
Thanks for the 5 star review and it’s lovely for me to hear that my recipe lives up to what your mom used to make (although different) because it’s always hard to compare to a mother or grandmother’s cooking and our memories of it, so this is very high praise and thank you!
Love this recipe I add dates and raisins soaked in rum. Top with sliced almonds
Thanks for the 5 star review and I love your idea of soaking dates and raisins in rum and adding them!
OMG. Best bread ever. So moist. I’ve tried many of your quick breads, Averie and they are always amazing. Your my go- to for baking.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a big winner for you!
Just wanted to tell you that this is hands down THE BEST banana bread recipe I’ve found. And I’ve tried SO many! This is the only recipe I’ve used where the bread is baked evenly throughout and the middle is just as perfect as the outer parts. Can’t even tell there’s carrots in it if you didn’t look at it. My oven bakes on the hot side and it was perfect at 45 minutes. It came out looking and tasting a little crispy on the edge (couldn’t wait for it to cool completely) but once it sat overnight, it softened up and wasn’t crispy at all. Won’t be making any other recipe ever again. Thank you.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s hands down the best banana bread recipe you’ve found and that you’re going to be loyal to my recipe – thanks!
This loaf cake was absolutly delish!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it turned out amazing!
The bread was delicious!I loved the carrot and banana combo, and it was very moist. I used greek yogurt (plain) instead of sour cream, and added 1/4 cup walnuts, with cream cheese glaze. Also, substituted 1/4 white flour with whole wheat, and it was still moist.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was delicious!
Only had 1 over ripe banana and 2 carrots so added 1/2 a chopped peeled apple. Otherwise stayed with the recipe and it turned out delicious! Frosted it and put walnuts on top…yummm!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out great!
I love the flavour of carrot and banana.. Surely it will be my fav then
Delicious! I used olive oil and added walnuts. The bread was moist and went well with my morning joe. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that the olive oil worked well!
I subbed sweet potato for carrot, and it is delicious. Also added chopped walnuts. Very moist and tasty. This is a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that sweet potato worked in place of carrots!
If you like sweet potato bread, try this one https://www.averiecooks.com/cinnamon-and-spice-sweet-potato-bread/
One of my favourite recipes! The whole fam loves it
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s one of your faves and the whole family loves it too!
I tried your carrot banana cake and it was delicious..
Thanks!
This was so good and moist. My family loved it and i can’t wait to make another one of your recipes.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it was a hit for the whole family!
Can I make the carrot banana bread into cupcakes
Probably but because I haven’t tried it I can’t give specific info. Good luck!
Yes
I made this last week and it was very yummy! I used no-egg and soy yogurt to make it vegan. And well I’m obsessed with cinnamon so I added some. I will definitely make it again, it’s easy and quick! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you as a vegan-ized version! I love cinnamon too!
I just finished this loaf on Thursday and I made it last Sunday it was super moist and not too sweet thank you for the great recipe . Maria B
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Made this today with my three-year-old daughter! We both loved it! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
This is the perfect combination!! I have to try this because I love both breads!
You can’t go wrong with either bread and together they were definitely a winner!
Yum! All of these are on my “to bake list”! Thank you!
Awesome, let me know what you make first!
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
Getting your fruit and veggie servings in with a bread! It’s win-win!
I love the way you think :)
This one looks as good as all your other quick bread recipes!! You have so many yummy combinations and I was surprised to read you han’t done it before. I love recipe tweaks–just a little change or two and you can have something entirely different!
I was surprised too :) haha! That’s the beauty of quickbreads as you said, just a couple tweaks and you have something entirely different!