Carrot Cake Banana Bread
on Jun 25, 2021, Updated Nov 03, 2025
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Can’t decide between carrot cake and banana bread? Enjoy them both with this vegan carrot cake banana bread that’s easy to prepare in one bowl with 10 ingredients.
Featured 5-Star Review
Anji
Another great recipe! I used a 9×9 and dropped the time down. Also added 1/3 cup of raisins in addition to the walnuts because carrot cake :). Turned out so good. I’ll definitely add this into the rotation. Thank you Deryn!
Why You’ll Love Carrot Cake Banana Bread
This beautiful loaf is packed with two favourite flavours: carrot cake and banana bread! Here are a few reasons I think you’ll love it:
- The recipe is vegan and oil-free so no eggs, dairy or oil needed. You will not need a flax egg either.
- You can make it nut-free if needed.
- It has a soft, tender texture and perfect amount of sweetness and spiced flavour.
- It’s a simple one-bowl recipe you can make with just 10 ingredients.
- It’s kitchen-tested and has many 5-star reviews!
- It makes a lovely snack or dessert anytime of day, especially with a cup of tea or coffee.
- It’s perfect for holidays like Easter as a dessert or addition to brunch.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour and spelt flour work well here. I like spelt best for baking but if you don’t have it, regular white flour works too. The recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flours such as oat flour or almond flour.
- Sugar: Use cane sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar. I have not tested the recipe with a liquid sweetened like maple syrup so please stick to a granulated sweetener.
- Banana: Overripe banana works well for sweet, moist bread. If you don’t have brown spotty banana, just ripe banana is ok too, just make sure it’s mashed up really well. I have not tested applesauce as a substitute.
- Milk: I like dairy free milk like almond or cashew as they have a neutral flavour but you can also use oat or soy milk.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar works.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans are a nice addition but they can be omitted for a nut-free recipe or you could substitute pumpkin seeds.
- Carrot: Use fresh carrot. I prefer it finely grated but any thickness works.
- Spices: The recipe calls for cinnamon and nutmeg. A small pinch of ginger is nice too!
How to Make Carrot Cake Banana Bread
Before You Start: Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper so it sticks out over the sides. Prepare the banana puree by thoroughly mashing banana until smooth and paste-like. Finely grate the carrot.
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine and distribute the baking soda and powder.
Step 2: Add the banana, milk, vinegar and vanilla and stir together until all of the flour is wetted.
Step 3: Add the shredded carrot and walnuts and fold until evenly distributed.
Step 4: Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan before lifting out and slicing.
Recipe FAQs
I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flours. I imagine an all purpose gluten-free baking flour should work but I haven’t tried myself. I suggest following the recipe unless you’re confident with making gluten-free swaps.
Yes, that is a suitable swap.
You can use a ripe banana that’s still yellow or spotty brown overripe banana. If you’re using just ripe banana just make sure it’s mashed up really well. Do not use under ripe banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread will be.
You can! Follow the recipe as is, then add the batter to greased or lined muffin pan. Bake for approx. 30 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- I know it’s hard to wait but for best results, let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan for best results. It will hold together better and stay nice and moist.
- Be sure to use a fine grate for the carrot so they melt into the loaf. You don’t want tough pieces of carrot.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients.
Icing Options
- Slice and serve with coconut butter, vegan butter or peanut butter.
- Top the loaf with icing or frosting. You can use the cashew frosting from my vegan cinnamon rolls or from this raw vegan carrot cake. You could also use the glaze from this vegan monkey bread recipe or the caramel from this vegan apple cake.
- For another frosting option, you can use this vegan cream cheese frosting from this vegan carrot cake recipe.
Storing Instructions
- Let cool completely before storing.
- Room Temperature: Up to 3 days in an airtight container container or wrapped in foil.
- Refrigerator: Up to 1 weeks in a sealed container or wrapped in foil.
- Freezer: Freeze sliced in individual portions wrapped in foil or saran and placed in a freezer-safe bag or container or freeze whole wrapped in foil in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge and enjoy.
- Bread can be enjoyed warm or lightly heated in the oven or microwave.
If you try this Carrot Cake Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on Running on Real Food, don’t forget to leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @runningonrealfood so I can see your creation! Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Carrot Cake Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup spelt flour or all purpose flour, 180 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, 75 g
- 1/2 cup mashed banana, 105 g
- 3/4 cup plant-based milk, 177 mL, such as almond or cashew
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 25 g
- 1 cup finely grated carrot, 90 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a standard-sized loaf pan (approx. 8.5 x 4 inches) with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana well in a small bowl until completely smooth. Finely grate the carrot.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and pinch of salt.1 1/3 cup spelt flour or all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- Now add all the wet ingredients, banana puree, milk, vanilla and the apple cider vinegar and mix well until all the flour is wetted.1/2 cup mashed banana, 3/4 cup plant-based milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Fold in the grated carrots and the chopped walnuts and mix until combined.1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1 cup finely grated carrot
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cake cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
I made it using half the sugar using vanilla coconut sugar since I don’t have a major sweet tooth. I baked it in a muffin pan and got 9 muffins out of the recipe. So moist and delicious
That’s great! Glad it worked out with those adjustments. Thanks!
This bread turned out so moist and delicious! I had to cook it for much longer, more like 45 minutes, but it came out really good. Will definitely make this again.
Thanks, Jen! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback on the cooking time.
Where is the recipe for the icing?
The icing is optional so if you scroll to the Serving section in the post above you’ll find some linked options for icing recipes either made with cream cheese or cashews.
Yum
Smells like fall 🍁🍁
I topped with pumpkin seeds
Better than Starbucks
I made them into muffins easier for me to control my portions
Thanks, Joyce! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Another great recipe! I used a 9×9 and dropped the time down. Also added 1/3 cup of raisins in addition to the walnuts because carrot cake :). Turned out so good. I’ll definitely add this into the rotation. Thank you Deryn!
Thanks, Angi! So glad you liked it 🙂
My mom makes banana bread variations to have with her coffee every morning. I sent her this recipe the morning you posted it and she made it that afternoon. She just added less sugar because our family lacks a sweet tooth hehe. We both loved it.
I wish I lacked a sweet tooth, haha! So glad you loved it. Thanks for the review!
This cake was amazing, we used a gluten free plain flour. Easy to bake although mine took quite a bit longer. We used a vegan vanilla frosting with fresh lemon juice and topped it with walnuts, cranberries and pepitas. The non vegans lived it! None left over to freeze 😀
So glad to hear it, Anna!
Love this recipe! I used spelt flour and coconut blossom sugar. I packed in the grated carrot. But mine didn’t set – was still raw inside. So I have sliced it and put in oven on low heat to make rusks.
Could it be too much grated carrots – I don’t think so – any suggestions?
Hmm, I definitely haven’t had that issue before! Did you follow the recipe exactly? If you added more carrots, they may add too much moisture for it to bake properly. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Love it, my non vegan friends didn’t even realize it was vegan – they loved it too! I make quite a few of your recipes and purchased your ebook a few years ago. Thank you for all you do!
Forgot to add – 5 stars from me !
Thank you so much, Eli!
This came out so good. I prefer my cakes and bread without egg and this is just perfect.
Thank you, Shaz! So glad you enjoyed it.