Carrot banana bread is incredibly easy and, you won’t have to decide whether to make banana bread or carrot cake. It is the best of both worlds, banana bread with a filling of carrots, walnuts, and coconut in a moist, deluxe batter.
Carrots from the garden add that simple home-cooked taste to so many classic recipes like carrot cake cupcakes or creamy carrot salad. With this recipe, you can also use up those bananas that stayed on the counter a little too long.
Ingredients in Carrot Banana Bread
- Bananas and Carrots make for a taste-of-home blend of sweetness and garden-fresh goodness and heaps of moisture.
- Chopped Walnuts add a savory crunch and turn this into a hearty bread that will keep you going for hours! Walnuts are excellent brain food, so this is a good dessert to pack in your kid’s lunches.
- Flaked Coconut adds an extra layer of flavor. You can use shredded coconut, but flaked coconut is a nice texture alongside the shredded carrots.
- Mayonnaise?! It might seem strange, but mayonnaise is the secret ingredient and adds so much moisture to this cake! It is really just eggs and oil, which is put into cakes all the time.
How To Make Banana Carrot Bread
This simple banana carrot bread recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Mash bananas with mayo and egg. If using frozen bananas, allow them to defrost before starting the cake.
- Combine dry ingredients and stir in the banana mixture just until incorporated. Over-mixing can cause quick bread to become too dense and heavy, so don’t worry about mixing “perfectly.”
- Fold in the nuts and pour into the prepared pan.
That’s all there is to it!
The Best Way to Store It
Carrot Banana bread will keep on the counter wrapped in foil, saran wrap, or in an airtight container for a few days. You can extend the expiry date by keeping it in the fridge for up to a week.
Personally, I like to keep it wrapped in foil on the counter. And to be honest, it’s not going to last a week in my house anyway! It will disappear into hungry tummies long before unless I hide it in the freezer!
To Freeze
Carrot Banana bread is one of those wonderful foods that freeze beautifully. I like to cut it into slices and wrap them individually in wax paper with a layer of foil on top. Then all I have to do is pull it out and pop it in the kid’s lunch for a healthy and delicious treat!
Or, freeze it whole and take it out when you have guests you were too busy to bake for. Top it with cream cheese frosting, and it will taste just as good or better than it did on the day you made it!
More Delicious Quick Breads
- Lemon Blueberry Bread – bright & citrusy flavors
- Chocolate Banana Bread – rich decadent dessert
- Pumpkin Zucchini Bread – loaded with flavor and spices!
- Warm Apple Bread – sweet & crunchy cinnamon topping!
- Zucchini Bread – crazy moist!
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread – chock full of chocolate chips
- Carrot Bread – carrots, spice, and everything nice!
Did your family love this Banana Carrot Bread? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Carrot Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas mashed
- ½ cup mayonnaise or dressing
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
- ¼ cup flaked coconut
- ½ cup carrots shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x4 pan with parchment paper.
- Combine mashed bananas, mayonnaise and egg in a small bowl.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in banana mixture just until moistened.
- Fold in walnut, coconut and carrots.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Dessert
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I’m going to make it this week! I think I’ll tweak it a bit (to bump up the protein so I can justify it fitting my macros for breakfasts hahaha) by swapping the 1 1/2 c flour for 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup protein powder… and then swap the mayo for greek yogurt. YUMM!
I have everything on hand and am going to make this tonight for tomorrow breakfast. My plan is to serve it also at Easter brunch. Thanks for another great recipe! And one that is pantry friendly.
This would be perfect at Easter! Enjoy Sherry!
I hope to make this with either Gluten Free flour mixture or Oat flour.
If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Margo!
If I made this into muffins would you know how long the cook time might be? Thanks in advance!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Dana. I would begin checking at 18 minutes and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Hi! Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
You can use whichever you prefer. We used unsweetened flaked coconut for ours.
This is such a great recipe. Seriously good banana bread, it was eaten in hours. Our family liked it because it wasn’t too sweet and the carrots, nuts, and coconut adds depth and great texture. The Mayo made it tender and moist, tastes nothing like Mayo for those of you who may worry. I substituted brown sugar for white as I needed to use it up. Will add this to my “best of the best” and make it often!
Followed the recipe exactly, but made 12 muffins instead of bread – delicious!
Very moist, easy and our family’s favorite banana bread!
I have made alot of banana bread and carrot cake in my day and this is an absolutely fantastic mashup of both. Moist!! Flavourful!! and just plain Yummy. A big hit with my family- ate 3 loves in 2 days
I do a lot of baking, but this bread may very well be my new favorite! The only thing I did was omit the nuts and coconut, and add cinnamon. Delicious! Thank you for sharing.
This looks amazing.. dying to try it. Is there any substitute to Mayo? Thanks
I’ve only tried this as written so I can’t say for sure.
Hi, I made the Banana Coconut Carrot Bread yesterday and we just love it!
Looks great
Amazing… amazing…. amazing
This recipe is amazing! My family was fighting over it.The only thing I changed was instead of mayonnaise I added natural plain yogurt. It tasted like dessert but was healthy too. Thanks for all your delicious recipes!
Everything looks delicious
This recipe is spectacular! Here are a few changes I made: 1 cup gluten free flour, 1/4 cup almond flour, 1/4 hemp seed, 1/4 cup chia seeds. I didn’t have walnuts so used sunflower seeds. Used brown sugar and reduced to 1/2 cup.
Will do it with the spices that Jenn recommended next time!
Thank you for sharing your substitutions Lisa! So glad you love the bread!
Great recipe, easy to follow and very moist
Holly, Is there a substitute for the mayonnaise? I cannot have mayonnaise, acidic or vinegar foods. Thank you Have a feeling this will be off my list also but I hope not as it sounds yummy.
I have only tried this as written. You could try a bit of sour cream (not sure if that is too acidic for you) with a bit of oil. Let us know how it goes!
I haven’t made this yet, but I will. I love banana bread and I love carrot cake,so here I have both,and it sounds delicious.I’m so excited to try this,it may be in some of Christmas gifts!!