This moist and delicious grain-free almond flour Carrot Cake Banana Bread is sweetened almost entirely with bananas and is packed with carrot cake goodies like shredded coconut, nuts, and shredded carrots!
If you’re a banana bread lover and a carrot cake lover, you’re going to go bonkers over this hybrid!
You can look at this simple almond flour carrot cake banana bread recipe in one of two ways. A banana bread enhanced with carrot cake ingredients, or a healthier version of carrot cake that has been sweetened with banana.
Both are valid and true!
Made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, eggs, ripe bananas, grated carrots, nuts, and more. This healthy banana carrot loaf is full of natural sweetness and is secretly good for you too!
Each slice contains a nice dose of proteins, healthy fats, and fiber with better for you ingredients.
Enjoy it on a daily basis for a healthy treat or save it for a special occasion! If you prefer baking with oats or oat flour instead of almond flour, make my Healthy Carrot Cake Bread recipe, which calls for oats instead of flour.
Ingredients for Carrot Cake Banana Bread:
Almond Flour: Taking the place of all purpose flour or whole wheat flour, we use almond flour as the base of this banana carrot bread.
Almond flour produces a light and fluffy texture and a moist crumb.
It adds protein, fiber, and healthy fats to this delicious recipe for a perfect breakfast!
Ripe Bananas: The majority of the sweetness in this banana bread carrot cake comes from ripe bananas. Be sure to choose bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best results.
Eggs: A couple of large eggs helps the batter rise into a lovely fluffy texture. I don’t recommend replacing the eggs with an egg replacer like flax egg, as almond flour recipes need the eggs because they don’t contain starch.
Pure Maple Syrup: To boost the sweetness a touch, we need a little pure maple syrup. You can also use coconut sugar or brown sugar if you’d prefer.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Here to add warm flavor to this homemade banana bread, we need a splash of vanilla extract.
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, Carrots, Raisins and Walnuts or Pecans: These are the carrot cake goodies that add classic carrot cake flavor to our banana bread!
Baking Powder: The leavening agent here. Baking powder allows the batter to rise into the moist crumb texture.
Ground Cinnamon: Warm spices like ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger bring warm flavors that spice up this moist carrot cake.
How to Make Carrot Cake Banana Bread:
This grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free carrot cake banana bread recipe is a cinch to make, and we have two options for preparation.
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
Option 1: Simply blend the banana bread base in a blender then stir in the carrot cake elements (carrots, raisins, shredded coconut). Send it off into the ol’ oven for some baking.
Option 2: Prepare the quick bread batter in a mixing bowl.
To do so, mash the overripe bananas in a large mixing bowl, then mix the remaining wet ingredients with the mashed bananas. Do this by hand or with an electric mixer.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients until everything is well combined.
Then, stir in the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and raisins.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the top of the bread with more chopped walnuts or pecans if you’d like. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown on top and fully baked.
A great way of testing whether or not a quick bred recipe is fully cooked is to insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread. If it is 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, it is ready!
Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. If you slice the bread while it is sill warm, the slices don’t come out as clean.
I recommend enjoying a thick slice with some butter on top alongside a mug of coffee or tea!
Much like regular banana bread, this carrot banana bread recipe tastes even better after it has had a chance to sit. For this reason, don’t feel shy about baking it up ahead of time, because it tastes amazing the next day!
Storage Tips:
1. Room Temperature: Wrap the bread pan with plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
2. Refrigerator: Transfer the remaining bread to a large zip lock bag or an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
3. Freezer: Store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
The texture of this bread is otherworldly! Soft, light, and airy, with bits of crunch running throughout, this carrot banana bread is loaded with all of my favorite things.
A riff off my classic Paleo Banana Bread recipe, this loaf combines the comforting element of your much-coveted banana bread with the tasty features of carrot cake.
The banana bread is sweetened mostly with bananas, yielding a lower-carb naturally sweet treat perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert.
Because this carrot loaf is made with wholesome ingredients and not much added sugar, it comes with health benefits like protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
A great choice to honor your sweet tooth using better for you ingredients!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll love warming up a thick slice of this bread with some melted butter and a drizzle of almond butter and/or pure maple syrup.
Each bite is super comforting, and the bread itself is very filling, making it ideal for tiding you over between meals.
The way I see it, is this carrot cake approach to banana bread can be your new overall approach to banana bread if you are so inclined. It’s a beautiful change-up from the ush and is an absolute crowd pleaser.
In addition, if you’re super into quickbread recipes, check out these reader favorites!
More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes:
- Paleo Cranberry Orange Banana Bread
- Paleo Maple Walnut Bread
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread with Chai Glaze
- Paleo Almond Fig Bread
- Grain-Free Almond Butter Banana Bread
- Paleo Morning Glory Quick Bread
Get your loaf on!
Paleo Carrot Cake Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas about 1.5 cups when mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (8 oz) finely ground almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (5.6 oz) unsweetened shredded coconut plus more for sprinkling
- 1 large carrot grated (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts plus more for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Add the first 8 ingredients (bananas through sea salt) to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Note: If you don't have a powerful blender, simply mash the bananas in a mixing bowl first, then mix all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the remaining four ingredients into the batter (shredded coconut through walnuts) until well-combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle with additional shredded coconut and walnuts if desired. Cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil from the loaf pan and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the bread tests clean. A great way of testing whether or not quick bread is fully cooked is by inserting a digital thermometer in the center of the bread. If the thermometer reads 190 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the bread is cooked through.
- Allow bread to cool at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
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I just made this and its yummy…loving it. I used oats flour instead of almond and 1tbsp stevia instead of 3 tbsp maple syrup and still everything was just perfect. Thank you so much.
So happy you like it! Thanks so much for the feedback 😀
This is hands down my favorite bread. I make it all the time. I love that it’s lower on added maple syrup/honey and lets the bananas shine. I actually have never added the carrots. 🙈. I didn’t have them the first time around and it was so good without that I just make it the same way. One day I’ll add them in. I do add dried cherries or cranberries sometimes. It the perfect r dessert! I toast it as a snack at night. Thank you!
I’m so happy you like it, Dianne! Dried cherries sounds divine! Thanks so much for the sweet note! xoxo
This is the most amazing bread! Perfect for the time of year and absolutely guilt free. This will be on repeat for sure.
I’m so thrilled you like it, Dianne! it’s a classic in my household as well 😀 xoxo
Made this several times. My husband — who is not GF— calls it cake. 😊. While not at all like traditional banana bread, I’m thankful for this recipe that we ALL can enjoy. Thanks for putting it out here for us. BTW. I find I need to bake it 60 to 65 minutes. All ovens are different.
I’m so happy you and your husband like it! Isn’t it funny how it tastes like dessert? Bananas are magical in producing tons of sweetness without the need for a lot of added sugar. Thanks so much for the sweet note and your feedback! xoxo
This loaf is delicious! So full of flavour and healthy too!
I’m so happy you like it, Debbie! Thanks for the sweet note! 😀 xoxo
So Delicious! I was just about ready to give up on finding a clean eating/paleo recipe. But this one is so good. Thank you.
I’m thrilled to hear it, Margie! Enjoy!! xo
Is there another substitute for the almond flour? I’m running low and only have about one cup but I do have coconut, tapioca and whole wheat flour!
Ooh, I haven’t tested the recipe with any other flour combinations, so I can’t be sure. If it were me, I would use the 1 cup of almond flour + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour OR 1 cup tapioca flour. I really can’t be sure without trying it myself, but that’s where I would start…I hope it works out! xoxox
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Do you let the loaf cool for the entire hour in the pan?
I do! You can pull it out before if you’d like, but I always leave it in. xo
I have been experimenting with almond flour muffin recipes and have found separating the egg yolks and egg whites and beating the egg whites until soft peaks then folding into the batter results in a lighter texture. Sometimes I add extra egg whites (2-3 whites to one yolk) and find the texture and taste is angel food cake-like. I am going to try the same experiment when I make this recipe.
That sounds awesome, Susan! Let me know how it turns out!
Hi there, may I know measurement of gram of almond flour in the cup?
I followed your recipe to a T (same ingredients, cooked 50 minutes then sat in oven for 10 minutes) but my muffins turned out gummy and almost raw-seeming. What did I do wrong? Did you pack the almond flour? I did not.
Hi Amy,
I didn’t pack the almond flour. What type of almond flour did you use?
Same here!! I could not get it to cook through even with more time =\ so good around the edges but middle is so dense and falling apart. Please help I want to try again
Hi Tarin,
Which brand of almond flour do you use? I recently discovered that different brands of almond flours have varying absorbencies. I use Bob’s Red Mill. Also, it could be the amount of banana being used if your bananas are quite large. When I make the recipe, my three bananas equate to about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups when mashed.
Amazing! Just made this now and it tastes delicious!
Thank you for the inspiring recipe!
Hi Kirsty, I’m so happy you like it! It’s been one of my favorites lately. xo
OMG! This bread is just warm out of the oven. Can you hear the moaning? It’s like eating “real bread” and it is scrumptious! My hubby will devour it with coffee. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. ❤️❤️❤️
I’m so happy to hear it, Geege! Thanks so much for the sweet note!! xo
This is some serious loaf porn! lol I’m all about carrot cake inspired food right now and this delicious loaf is calling my name. I love the idea of warming it and serving it with almond butter!
OMG! It looks so tasty and I needed to pin it on my Pinterest Board ” Healthy Meets Tasty ” xoxo