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.
Hi Averie,
Your blog and recipes are amazing! I go straight to you for eats and have yet to disappoint. I am a busy wife, mom of four, and nurse, so the quick, easy, and delicious recipes are such a blessing. Thank you from British Columbia!
Giselle
Thank you so much for the compliments and everything you are – wife, mom of 4, nurse, trying to do it all – this is who my recipes are made for and what I attempt to create when I write them. Do-able, satisfying, quick, easy, great results. Thank you for following!
I’m hoping to try this but wondering how much almond flour to substitute for regular flour?
I would not use almond flour in this recipe and would make the recipe as written so it works out. Almond flour will just produce a dense, semi-wet soggy loaf of something that won’t be good at all, in my best guesstimate. The recipe is perfect as written!
I made it to try and get my toddler to “secretly” eat more veggies, but I ended up eating nearly half the loaf myself before it was even cooled. LOL. It’s so good! I can’t control myself. Thank you for the recipe! This will be a go-to recipe forever. The toddler and husband also approve!
Glad this will be a forever go-to recipe for you! Glad the whole family loves it!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I made this recipe last year, and it was an absolute hit with everyone I shared it with! Unfortunately, I’m allergic to gluten now and can no longer use regular flour. Can I substitute the regular flour for gluten free flour? If so, is there any particular brand you suggest? Thanking you in advance.
I would try one of the Cup 4 Cup style brands. There are a ton of GF flours on the market – I would use something that’s intended for all-purpose baking that’s a 1:1 ratio to regular AP-flour. LMK how it goes!
This tasted so amazing! I substituted the flour for oats which I blended beforehand, and used half a cup of xylitol and a teaspoon of honey instead of sugar. It was so good that me and my friend nearly ate the whole thing in one go! Many many thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I have made this bread probably 20 times (no lie!) and always love it. I printed out the recipe and was in a hurry and read it as 2 tsp’s of nutmeg – and didn’t think “Oh this might be a bit much” – I just measured it out, made it and moved on. Well I Just tasted it and it’s SO STRONG with Nutmeg! Like unless you absolutely love nutmeg, you can’t eat it lol. Ooops. I went back and saw the recipe now and see it was only 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. Grrrrrr!
Instead of eggs what can I use? I’m a vegetarian.
Not sure…
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour? If yes, would it be the same measurement?
I would make the recipe as written at least once and then start experimenting on your own. I personally wouldn’t use w.w. flour instead of AP and I am guessing the measurements won’t be the same.
This was delicious. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’v tried this apple carrot bread at least twice before and loved it, made it again today and i thought it would be nice to thank you for such an amazing and easy recipe.. so thank You.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it comes out great for you and is a fave! Thanks for letting me know!
Made this today and the house smelled divine. The loaf turned out to be pretty delicious however mine baked in just 30 minutes. Isn’t it too quick for a quick bread?
All ovens and ingredients are different and vary. As long as it was cooked through and delicious, you baked it long enough.
Made this today!:D Substituted white flour with oat flour made from grinding the oats in a bullet used yogurt and even added a few sliced almonds and blueberries! Yummy! I didnt use as much sugar a spoon (tbsp) and one spoon of sugar still delicious!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad all your swaps worked well and it was delish!
I made this – turned out amazing! I subbed oat flour and honey instead of sugar. Next time I will try to sub applesauce for the oil and cut down the amount of sugar. Howl fully it’ll turn out just as great!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you even with substitutions!
I made this came out so good. My 9 year old raved about it. Making a second one now.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
First of all I have to tell you I was so excited to find this recipe! I needed to use up some apples and carrots – but not a lot carrot and apple recipes out there! Made them tonight – THESE ARE GREAT! I did spread them over a 12 cup muffin tin – took about 25 minutes in my oven to bake. I also messed up and mixed all of the ingredients together (I knew to do the carrots and apples last tho!) But flour, eggs – everything all in at once! LOL – OOPS! Turned out just fine tho! And I didn’t dirty up a second bowl. :) The only things I did differently: used vanilla greek yogurt (needed to use up), applesauce instead of oil, and my secret ingredient… a dash of clove! Anything that has cinnamon in it I ALWAYS add a dash of clove! Will make again – thanks so much for this one! Now if I could only figure out how to add oats into it for more fiber! :)
I love cloves, too. Glad that the one bowl mixing situation worked for you and that they came out great as muffins, too!
I made muffins using this recipe, they were very moist and delicious. Adding to my baking rotation!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you as muffins! And that it’s going into baking rotation!