Carrot Cake Banana Bread {with Almond Flour}
This carrot cake banana bread is soft, moist and so delicious. It is gluten-free and loaded with tasty mix-ins like walnuts and raisins. They are perfect for a quick and healthy breakfast or dessert for the whole family to enjoy.
Sweetened with ripe bananas and a touch of maple syrup. and coconut sugar, this carrot cake bread is the ultimate treat for this Easter or upcoming Spring Season.
Banana bread is a staple in my house, which means this carrot cake was going to instantly go on the top of our must have dessert list.
There are a ton of ways that you can switch up banana bread by adding various ingredients like my Zucchini Banana Bread or Banana Bread with Summer Peaches.
But this carrot cake banana bread might be one of my most favorite variations yet.
Topped with my favorite cream cheese frosting, I don’t think I could ask for more.
The carrot cake flavors paired with comfort of a hearty banana bread is unmatched.
It’s moist, fluffy, perfectly sweet, and even better yet… it’s gluten free too!
What Makes Carrot Cake Loaf Healthy?
One of the main reasons this carrot cake banana bread is healthier than a traditional recipe is due to the fact that it is made with almond flour and coconut flour which is gluten free and grain free.
It is sweetened mostly with ripe bananas, and the sweet potato puree and carrots add a touch of sweetness as well.
You can use coconut sugar if you want to make it even a tad bit sweeter.
Key Ingredients Needed to Make Carrot Cake Bread
Most of the time bananas are an afterthought for me.
I would buy bananas with the intention of eating them but then they become too ripe and then there is “I have to make some banana bread.”
This recipe switches it up from the traditional banana bread recipe but chances are you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients at home already!
Ripe bananas- the more ripe the banana, the sweeter it will be. This is a great way to sweeten baked goods without having to add a lot of extra sugar.
Sweet potato puree*– you can bake, steam, or microwave the sweet potatoes to make them soft enough to blend into a puree. Make sure to remove skins before blending. Or store-bought canned sweet potato puree is also a good option.
Smooth almond butter– adds a nice nutty flavor to the banana bread but also helps to keep the banana bread together since it’s gluten-free.
Shredded carrots- can’t have a carrot cake without carrots, can you? Carrots add a subtle texture, sweetness, and some moisture to your bread too.
You will also need:
- Coconut sugar
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Raisins
- Chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon, all spice & nutmeg
*If sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, you can substitute the sweet potato for the same amount of pumpkin puree.
How to Make Carrot Cake Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the sweet potato puree. Click here for the ‘how-to’.
First, in a large bowl, mash together the ripened bananas and sweet potato puree.
Next, add eggs and almond butter and mix thoroughly using a hand mixer.
Then, in a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, coconut sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
Gently with a spatula, mix until all ingredients are combined.
Fold in shredded carrots, walnuts and/or any other add-ins you prefer.
Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with coconut oil. Pour carrot cake banana bread mixture into the pan and add toppings, if desired.
Bake for 35-37 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Let the carrot cake bread cool before slicing.
Optional: Once the carrot cake banana bread cools, you can add my favorite dairy-free cashew cream cheese frosting.
How to Serve Your Fluffy Carrot Cake Bread
This carrot cake banana bread will satisfy your tastebuds all by itself, however there’s no shame in dressing it up a little to tickle your fancy!
Some of my favorite ways to eat it are:
- Topped with nut butter
- Served with yogurt
- Warm under a scoop of ice cream
Tips for the Best Gluten Free Carrot Cake Loaf
- Extra ripe bananas for the sweetness: mash with a fork before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Steamed sweet potatoes: I like using Japanese yams. They have reddish skin with an almost-white flesh. I personally feel that they taste nutter and make a creamier texture.
- Sift flours: until there are no clumps left. This ensures even mixing, and that your dry ingredients are free of any unwanted debris.
- Make sure your oven has reached the target temperature: I use an oven thermometer because a lot of times ovens don’t reach the target temperature until 10 minutes after it beeps.
- Allow bread to cool completely: before adding the frosting. Otherwise, it will melt. Bonus: It tastes even better after it’s been in the fridge!
How to Store Carrot Cake Banana Bread
There are several ways you can store your carrot cake banana bread.
In the fridge: wrap in an airtight container and store for up to 4-5 days.
In the freezer: slice the bread into individual portions and wrap in single sized servings before placing into the freezer.
Allow bread to thaw on counter overnight or place in the microwave for about 30 seconds to re-heat.
What’s your favorite carrot-banana combo? Leave a comment below!
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS
Get the recipe:Carrot Cake Bread {with Almond Flour}
Ingredients
- 1 cup ripe banana, about 2 – 3 bananas
- 1 cup sweet potato puree, Can also be replaced by more bananas
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 pinch of seal salt
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 – 4 tbsp coconut sugar, if you prefer sweeter*
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup almond flour, packed
- 2 tbsp coconut flour, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup raisins
Carrot Cake Spices
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Equipment
- Almond Butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In a mixing bowl, mash bananas, sweet potatoes *, then add eggs, almond butter and vanilla extract. Whisk together using a hand mixer or a food processor.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, salt and carrot cake spices, and baking soda. Combine well until there is no clump left.
- Fold in shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts.
- Line 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with coconut oil. Pour the carrot cake bread mixture into the loaf pan.
- Bake 40 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the carrot cake bread cool completely before adding cashew cream cheese frosting (recipe can be found here)
- Garnish with extra shredded carrot and walnuts. Cut into slices and Enjoy!
Notes
- *You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on preference. I personally only need 2 tbsp coconut sugar because the mashed bananas and sweet potatoes both provide sweetness to this recipe.
- For more tips, check the "Tips for the Best Carrot Cake Loaf" Section in this post.
The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.
Thank you for this recipe; it looks delicious! I’m going to make it today for Easter dessert.
Also, I love the nutrition info you provide, and that there aren’t pages and pages of text before getting to the recipe! 🙂
Hi Cara,
So glad you love it!
Shuang
Can I use only almond flour or fo I need to add coconut flour?
Hi,
Sorry for the delay. I have no tested just almond flour, but in theory, it may result in a bit more moisture than my original recipe. Should still work tho 🙂 Hope this helps.
Shuang
This looks divine! Definitely making this soon. Thanks lady😊 Can I use half coconut oil, half almond butter to reduce the amount of my almond butter as it’s very expensive here🙃
Hi Nomsa,
It is so good! I haven’t tested coconut oil in this recipe yet. Would peanut butter or any other nuts/seed butter be more affordable? You could certainly use smooth (no sugar added) peanut butter. Hope this helps!
Shuang