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!
Table of Contents
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 carrot cake banana bread 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.
Recipe Ingredients
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
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
Can I Add Mix-Ins?
You probably can add mix-ins like raisins or chopped walnuts, but I haven’t tried it myself.
How to Make Carrot Banana Bread
This carrot cake bread recipe is very similar to your typical banana bread. Here are the basic steps:
- 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.
- Let the banana carrot bread cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a wire rack.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Spices: 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!
Bake time: 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.
Freezing: Note that this banana carrot bread freezes incredibly well. You can freeze the entire loaf or slice and freeze individual servings.
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Let cool completely, then wrap in foil or seal in a zip-top bag. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week
Freezer: Wrap in plastic wrap and foil or seal in a freezer bag. Bread will keep up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw on your countertop for 1 to 2 hours.
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Carrot Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ 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)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Carrot Cake Recipes:
ALL OF MY CARROT CAKE-INSPIRED RECIPES.
Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — A tender and moist classic two-layer carrot cake with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting! For anyone who loves carrot cake, this cake looks and tastes so impressive but is EASY to make!
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 Chew Carrot Oatmeal Cookies — All the flavors of richly spiced carrot cake, but in cookie form! Soft, chewy, extremely moist, and not at all cakey.
Good recipe, I’ve made it twice now. It’s moist, not too sweet.
I did noticed the second time I made a double batch. The recipe ingredients on the website doesn’t adjust the amount of flour. It calls for 1 Cup.
If you double the recipe you’ll need at least 2 1/4 cups of flour.
I added some semisweet chocolate chips & cinnamon It was a hit!
Hi Janelle, thanks for trying the recipe. The conversion tool is not always perfect. It’s working fine for me on my desktop however it’s a feature I am considering removing because yes in this case 1 cup of flour = 2 cups if you double the recipe. If it’s not showing that on your device, I am not sure what to say – but yes, of course it would not stay at 1 cup if you do double it.
I have made this loaf as written, and it is absolutely delicious! I was wondering if I could make it in muffin cups?
You can definitely try it and I’m sure it will be fine. I have never done it so I don’t want to try to quote baking times but it should be fine.
Came out really nice and moist. Took it to my kids and it was gone in no time. I added some orange zest, orange extract. And cinnamon too. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it turned out nice and moist and was a hit and gone in no time! If you like orange flavored desserts (that are also very moist) this cake is incredible https://www.averiecooks.com/olive-oil-orange-cake/
This is absolutely delicious! I’ve made it but the recipe. Next time I added golden and regular raisins. Then the last time I added chopped walnuts and a little splash of vanilla pudding mix to the batter. This is a most incredible recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am so glad that you have found a way to tweak the recipe and try new little ideas and that it’s all been working great for you!
Made this Banana Carrot Bread today. It is so delicious it may be my favorite bread recipe. I did add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and chopped walnuts. I would recommend using an 8″ loaf pan instead of 9″.
Made this Banana Carrot Bread today. It is so delicious it may be my favorite bread recipe. I did add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and chopped walnuts. I would recommend using an 8″ loaf pan instead of 9″.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this is your favorite banana bread recipe!
Hi Averie! I’ve been looking for a carrot banana bread recipe and I want to try this one – however, I don’t like the stodgy bottom as shown in your photos. Do you know if there is a way to avoid that? I find the texture of that at the bottom to be quite unpleasant.
With extremely moist and rich banana-based breads, it is very common to have the loaf fall a bit upon cooling, which creates the bottom that you describe. I don’t know if there is a way around that other than to do extensive recipe testing and trialing. For me, it does not affect the flavor at all.
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?
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!
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!