Carrot Banana Bread

This is a tasty quick bread recipe made with carrot, banana, golden raisins, and walnuts. Whole wheat flour and oats add whole grain, nutritious goodness to it. There's no sugar or oil. It's sweetened entirely with honey and banana; and uses Greek yogurt instead of oil. But don't let all this healthy talk throw you off. You wouldn't know by taste alone unless I let you in on the secret ahead of time. The result is a very moist and dense bread, just the way I like it, richly flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. Chewy bits of sweet golden raisins and crunchy walnuts give it texture and body. As do the distinguishing, brightly colored bits of carrot dotted throughout.


It really packs a nice power punch to eat as a breakfast bread. It's perfectly satisfying alongside a cup of tea, plain or with a little smear of cream cheese or butter.



I'm sending this over to the sweet, smart and sassy Joanne of Eats Well With Others for her BSI Assignment: Carrots.

If your looking for a sweeter more dessert-like bread cream cheese frosting would be excellent over top. And I've included the option of using sugar and sour cream in my recipe.

Now for an important word about raisins: if you don't like them I urge you to try the golden ones. They are quite sweet and the ones I buy are faintly reminiscent of pears. They don't have the strong flavor or smell that the dark raisins have. You can sub out the raisins for extra nuts or any kind of dried fruit like cranberries, dates or figs.

Carrot Banana Bread

(by Reeni)

3/4 cup Non-Fat Greek Yogurt or Regular Fat Sour Cream

3/4 cup Honey or 1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup All-Purpose Flour, run a fork through before measuring

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour, run a fork through before measuring

1/2 cup Oatmeal

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 + 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 cup mashed ripe Banana (about 2 large)

1 + 1/2 cup grated Carrot (about 3 large)

1/2 cup chopped Golden Raisins, tossed with a teaspoon of flour

1/2 cup chopped Nuts
Sunflower seeds for sprinkling over top, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium mixing bowl; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl whisk the yogurt and honey together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

4. Add 1/4 of the flour mixture at a time and stir in - alternating with the banana and ending with the flour mixture. Scrap down sides and just mix until incorporated; don't over mix.

5. Add carrot, raisins and walnuts. Stir until evenly mixed throughout. Spoon into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over top if desired.

6. Bake 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on wire rack. Frost with cream cheese frosting if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
About 2 cups Confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2-3 tablespoons of Milk

1. In a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on low-medium until fluffy.

2. Add a cup and a half of sugar and a tablespoon of milk. Beat. Add more sugar and milk in small amounts beating after each addition until you get the consistency you want.

3. Beat for two minutes on low until light and fluffy. 

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Carrot Banana Bread