Carrot Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot banana bread made with freshly grated carrots, sweet ripe bananas and spices and topped with cream cheese frosting! A family favorite.

Carrot Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Typically when I have overripe bananas I make my favorite banana bread but it’s that time of year when carrot recipes are everywhere I thought I would make carrot banana bread. This scrumptious quick bread recipe is basically a moist banana bread with warm spices and a hint of carrot cake flavor topped with tangy cream cheese frosting.

Bananas are a great source of potassium, vitamin B6, as well as, fiber and carrots have beta-carotene, potassium and fiber among other things. This bread is practically a health food. Of course I am kidding but everything is good in moderation.

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It’s a delicious dessert or a decadent breakfast. This bread would be beautiful decorated for Easter and a welcome accompaniment to your holiday brunch. Wrap the extra loaf and give it as a gift to a neighbor or a friend.  ​

Why you will love this carrot banana bread recipe

• It’s a quick bread and it’s easy to make.
• The recipe makes two loaves, one for you and one for a friend.
• The bread is made with simple pantry ingredients.
• It is a fmatch made in baking heaves, a combination of carrot cake and banana bread and is even better the second day.

Need more banana bread recipes? Try Double Chocolate Banana Bread, The Ultimate Banana Bread from Cooks Illustrated, or Raspberry Banana Bread with Crumble Topping, Cinnamon Spiced Banana Bread with Pecans. 

What you need to make Carrot Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This bread is a great way to use up ripe bananas and extra carrots.

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed brown bananas, about 3-4 medium bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup shredded carrots(2-3 medium carrots)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 31/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Garnish with Cinnamon Sugar Pecans or plain toasted pecans

How to Make Carrot Banana Bread

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 8×4″ loaf pans, spray with cooking spray and add parchment paper. Set aside.
• Use a cheese grater, box grater or a food processor to grate your carrots and set aside.
• In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, ginger, cloves and salt then mix well.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.
• Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract; beat until mixed well.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir until just combined.
• Next, add the shredded carrots and mashed banana. Do not use pre-shredded carrots, they are too dry and the moisture from freshly grated carrots helps make this bread moist. Mix until combined.
• Pour the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool the banana carrot bread in the pan for 5 minutes then remove from pan and let the bread cool on a wire rack.
• While the carrot banana loaf is cooling make the cream cheese frosting.
• When the loaves are cool spread with a nice layer of cream cheese frosting or dust with powdered sugar.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Then add the powdered sugar, a little at a time and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
• If you want to decorate the loaves with a carrot design, place 1/4 cup of frosting into two small bowls and using your food coloring mix some orange and green frosting.

Need more quick bread recipes?

Quick breads are some of the easiest things to make even if you are not a baker, traditional banana bread is a family favorite, as is chai zucchini bread.

Variations & Serving Suggestions

• The cream cheese frosting makes this carrot banana bread a delicious dessert, you can skip the frosting and it makes the perfect breakfast.
• For extra flavor add chopped pecans or walnuts to your bread batter, about 1/2 cup.
• Substitute pumpkin pie spice for the other spices.
• Serve this quick bread at your next holiday brunch or for breakfast with Greek yogurt and berries.
• How to Store Banana Bread?

Store cooled banana bread wrapped in Saran Wrap or in an airtight container and store for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage wrap the whole loaf unfrosted in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

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I hope that you enjoyed this carrot cake banana bread recipe, it is perfect for Easter brunch. Thank you for reading Pinecones & Acorns, I appreciate you spending part of your day with me.

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Carrot Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Carrot banana bread made with freshly grated carrots, sweet ripe bananas and spices and topped with cream cheese frosting! A family favorite.

• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 2 loaves 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed brown bananas, about 3–4 medium bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 11/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1 cup shredded carrots(2-3 medium carrots)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 31/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

Instructions for the cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 8×4″ loaf pans, spray with cooking spray and add parchment paper. Set aside.

Use a cheese grater, box grater or a food processor to grate your carrots and set aside.

In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, ginger, cloves and salt then mix well.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Then add in the eggs and vanilla extract; beat until mixed well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir until just combined.

Add in shredded carrots and mashed banana. Do not use pre-shredded carrots, they are too dry and the moisture from freshly grated carrots helps make this bread moist. Mix until combined.

Pour the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool the banana carrot bread in the pan for 5 minutes then remove from pan and let the bread cool on a wire rack.

While the carrot banana loaf is cooling make the cream cheese frosting.

When the loaves are cool spread with a nice layer of cream cheese frosting or dust with powdered sugar.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Then add the powdered sugar, a little at a time and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 55-60
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked