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My favorite Banana Bread Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. This is a simple loaf of banana bread with incredible flavor made with fresh carrots. It’s SO DELICIOUS! Mix overripe bananas and sweet grated carrots with coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Bake the carrot cake batter until set, then add a layer of creamy cream cheese frosting. This is sure to become your favorite banana bread. It’s perfect for an afternoon snack or served for dessert. Trust me, this recipe gets star reviews!
Mother’s Day is around the corner, and I’m already planning a simple but very spring-like menu. I’ve only recently started baking carrot cake; it’s not something I grew up eating, so I’m having a lot of fun sharing new recipes!
My mom and little sister, Asher, both love banana bread or banana cake. I decided that mixing in carrots and using cream cheese frosting could be fun for this time of year.
And delicious, of course!
To make this recipe, I used my favorite banana bread recipe as a base and added carrots to the batter. The bread—or maybe it’s more of a cake—turned out so yummy… with the most wonderful texture!
This is definitely a recipe you can make for mom, but truly, you can bake this any time of the year!
Ingredients
- Medium overly ripe bananas
- Grated carrots
- Melted coconut oil
- Honey or maple syrup
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Chopped walnuts
- Frosting
- Salted butter, at room temperature (unsalted butter works too if you prefer)
- Cream cheese
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
Kitchen Supplies
- electric mixer
- small bowl
- 9×5 inch bread pan
- parchment paper
- medium mixing bowl
- cooling rack
- airtight container
These are the details
Step 1: start with the bananas
The key is using very ripe bananas. I’m talking brown spots all over. These are perfect for banana bread.
Mash up the bananas. Tip I love to use a potato masher!
Step 2: mix the batter
Add the mashed bananas and grated carrots. Then whisk and mix with coconut oil, pure maple syrup, or honey; both are great.
Next, crack in a couple of eggs and a splash of vanilla. Then, add the dry ingredients. Add flour, a pinch of cinnamon, and a dash of salt. The cinnamon adds a warmth that I find lovely with these flavors. It’s subtle enough that you can’t really tell it’s there, but it adds a special touch.
Bake the bread in a 1-pound bread loaf pan. Carrot cake lovers, I hope you love banana carrot cake version! I think it creates a perfectly moist carrot cake recipe.
Step 3: the frosting
While the bread is baking, make the tangy cream cheese frosting.
I love cream cheese frosting with any kind of carrot cake, so I felt like we needed a thick layer. I make mine with butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt. Beat this all together, then mix in powdered sugar to your taste. I never use more than a cup.
Some might skip this frosting, but please, I’m begging you all, make it!
It’s so delicious when slathered over an ever-so-slightly warmed piece of bread.
The bread with the frosting slathered on is very tender, very banana-y, lightly sweetened, and full of yumminess.
A slice of carrot cake banana bread is perfect any time of day, yet special enough to serve mom too!
Looking for other sweet recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Blender Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Giant Double Blueberry Muffin Cookies
Bakery Blueberry Vanilla Crunch Muffins
Blueberry Swirl Coffee Cake Muffins
Baked Chocolate Fudge Glazed Doughnuts
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze
Lastly, if you make this Banana Bread Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Banana Bread Carrot Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 436 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 3 medium overly ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup mashed)
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Frosting
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×5 inch bread pan.2. In a bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, carrots, coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts if using. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is just set. Remove and let cool for 30 minutes before frosting.4. To make the frosting. In a bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix in the sugar, using it to your taste. Frost the top of the bread. Slice and enjoy!
This post was originally published on April 16, 2024
Hi Again from Claudia in South Africa,
So, just to update you – I did the tweaking for baking at +5500 feet above sea level. The tweaking was like a Maths project😁😁.
This loaf is even more delicious than my first one..It is definitely even better the next day. I also doubled up on the frosting ingredients…Super delicious. Thank you.
Hey Claudia,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing what worked well for you! I appreciate you making the cake:) xT
Another A+ recipe! Thank you so much. Made it and it was delicious. I didn’t put any sugar in the frosting and it was so so good!
Thank you so much Sien!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! xT
I made this delicious carrot and banana loaf last week. It was super nice…but as I live 5000+ feet above sea level, I am going to adjust a few measurements to suite baking at this altitude as opposed to your altitude – sea level I think. I have researched what to do and will make adjustments. Will let you know…also will double up on frosting quantity as it made too little…
Thanks so much, Claudia:) I’m so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xT
So yummy! I made 2 loaves.. one with nuts for us and one without for my sons family. I browned the butter before making the frosting… oh my goodness I could have sat down and eaten all the frosting in one fell swoop!!! Thanks for a great go to recipe!!!
Hi Cindy,
I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! Xx
Made this 3 times with my granddaughters so far. Love it!
1st time followed recipe, 2nd time added a few chocolate chips & another ounce of cream cheese in frosting, 3rd time added coconut flakes & chocolate chips to bred & 3 ounces of cream cheese to frosting. Also used swerve confectioners in icing each time. We’ve loved it each time!
Hey Sheri,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, I love to hear that it turned out nicely for you! Xx
If I have a juicer, can I use the pulp from the carrots as a substitute? Or does that take away from something?? Pls lmk! Thanks!!
Hi Sophia,
I have never tested this, so I am honestly not sure, my only concern is that they wouldn’t be as moist. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Does this need to be refrigerated after frosting it?
Hi there,
This can be kept in the fridge or on the counter in an airtight container. I hope you love this recipe! xT
Can I use melted butter instead of coconut oil?
Hi Michael,
Sure, that would work nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
What if I don’t have those little flowers? Do they add flavor?
Hi Sharon,
I just used them for decoration, they are not needed for the recipe:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
The second I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it.
Today is my mom’s birthday and I’m currently making it for her as a birthday cake. If you could wish her a Happy Birthday it would absolutely make her day. (Her name is Dawne). Thanks SO much Tieghan, and I’ll let you know how the bread/cake turns out!
Aww, thanks so much for making this recipe, Darryl!! Happy Birthday Dawne!! I hope you all love this recipe! xT
You always make your recipes look so yummy and they they are. What kind of flowers did you use? Are they edible?
Thanks so much Margie!! Yes, they are edible wildflowers from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hello Tieghan! I feel like you knew that I had bananas, carrots and cream cheese that needed to be used today! This recipe was great!! The cake was really moist and perfectly sweet! Super easy to make and came together really quickly. Thank you!
Lol perfect timing, Ellie! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment. Love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Can this be made into muffins? If so, what temperature and how long?
Hi there,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Depends what size muffins you are making but I would start checking for doneness at 15 minutes. I hope you love this recipe! xx
Could you cook this in a Bundt pan? If so, would timing differ?
Hey Lindsay,
You could definitely give it a try, I would say it will bake much faster so I would check at 30 minutes for doneness. Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Can I substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil?
Hi Christina,
Sure, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Can I substitute the oil with melted unsalted butter?
Hi there,
Yes, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe! xT
One to two cups of powdered sugar? Did you mean 1/2??
I think she mentioned above to use an amount to your liking, and that she never uses more than 1 cup. : )
Hi Jean,
The recipe is correct with 1-2 cups of powdered sugar:) Start with 1 cup and you can slowly add more to your liking. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Good Morning.
My husband is not to eat wheat flour, so I am thinking I will try the GM Oat Flour. I have used it fairly successful Now in both sweet and savory recipes. And this AM just happen to have 3 V ripe bananas on the counter. I will use dark rum instead of the vanilla …our fav with anything banana. Thank you..Happy Tuesday.
Hi Leslie,
Perfect!! Let me know if you give this cake a try:) I hope you love it! xT
Very nice recipe chef 👍👌👏. It better the next day 😋. Thank you for your effort 🌞😎.
Thanks so much, Jasson!
Is it diabetic friendly with maple syrup? Without icing?
Hi Marg,
I am so sorry, but I really am not educated in what constitutes as diabetic friendly. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx