This naturally sweetened carrot bread makes for a moist and delicious treat, a great snack, or even a healthy breakfast option! You’ll want to make a triple batch of this quick and easy freezer-friendly carrot cake bread, so you’ll always have some on hand.
In my house, even though we eat veggie-filled meals all the time, if you ask who wants veggies for breakfast, you’ll hear crickets.
But if you ask who wants cake for breakfast? That’s an enthusiastic yes!
Luckily, we can have the best of both worlds with this naturally sweetened carrot bread, which includes a healthy dose of veggies AND tastes like cake.
Serve warm with some butter for a delicious and wholesome breakfast treat. The taste test results were unanimous – empty plates and “Can I get more?” from the whole family!
HOMEMADE CARROT BREAD
Besides the fact that it’s the best carrot bread I’ve ever tasted, it’s also:
- Healthy. Packed with nutritious carrots, raisins, nuts, yogurt, and spices.
- Naturally and lightly sweetened. Without refined sugar, this recipe allows for your family to enjoy the natural sweetness of wholesome real food ingredients.
- Can be dessert or breakfast! This carrot cake bread is sweet enough to be considered a treat, but healthy enough that you can feel good about having it for breakfast or a snack.
- Quick and easy. Mix up one loaf in just a few minutes or make a double or even triple batch without much extra work!
- Freezer friendly. This is the perfect recipe to make ahead and freeze for an easy breakfast option later.
And of course, this spiced carrot bread is so delicious, that even picky eaters love it!
CARROT CAKE BREAD INGREDIENTS
- Walnuts. Measure first, then chop the nuts to add a bit of crunch to the finished bread. Chopped pecans would also be tasty.
- Raisins. Mix with the walnuts and a bit of flour to prevent clumping. The raisins add a bit of sweetness and texture to the carrot bread. Dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped dried pineapple might be fun flavor variations instead of raisins.
- Whole wheat flour. Using whole grain flour gives you the most nutritional benefit, and it makes for a carrot bread that’s hearty without being dense. You can use all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand.
- Baking powder and baking soda. To help the carrot bread rise.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. Classic spice flavors that pair well with the sweetness of the carrots and maple syrup.
- Salt. Adding just a bit of salt to baked goods helps complement the sweetness.
- Grated Carrots. Carrots are naturally sweet and shredding them first helps them bake into the carrot cake bread, so you won’t even realize you’re eating veggies! A food processor makes shredding a bunch of carrots quick and easy, or you can use a box grater and a bit of elbow grease.
- Maple syrup. My choice for a natural sweetener for this carrot loaf recipe.
- Coconut oil. Just enough fat to give this carrot cake loaf recipe a bit of richness. You can use melted butter instead if that’s what you have on hand.
- Eggs. To help hold everything together.
- Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt gives more of a rise than regular yogurt. (Make your own with this method).
- Vanilla (here’s how to make it homemade). Vanilla tricks your brain into thinking something is sweeter than it actually is and helps bring out all the flavors in baked goods.
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HOW TO MAKE CARROT BREAD RECIPE
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Prepare baking cups (for muffins) or loaf pans with cooking spray.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, combine the raisins, walnuts, and 1 Tablespoon of flour. Mix well so that the raisins don’t clump together.
Step 3. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir together well. Set aside.
Step 4. In a separate large bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk well.
Step 5. Add the dry ingredient flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
Step 6. Scoop ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup or pour batter into the prepared pan.
Step 7. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes (mine took exactly 16 minutes) for muffins, 30 minutes for mini loaves, or 1 hour for an 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan. See below for more info on cook times and yield since mini loaf sizes vary.
Step 8. Cool completely on a wire rack.
CARROT LOAF RECIPE VARIATIONS
You can easily make this carrot loaf recipe into bread, mini loaves, or muffins. Just follow the recipe to mix up the batter and adjust the baking times.
- For carrot cake muffins, scoop ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- For one carrot cake loaf, pour the batter into your pan and bake until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. This is about 1 hour for an 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan.
- For mini loaves, divide the batter evenly between your pans, and bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. The time may vary a bit depending on the size of your mini-loaf pans.
TO SERVE CARROT BREAD
- Carrot bread is delicious served warm with a bit of butter.
- If you serve carrot bread as a treat, try one of these options:
- Dust the top of the carrot bread with powdered sugar. Of course, there is no refined sugar in this recipe, but here’s how to make homemade powdered sugar.
- For an extra bit of sweetness, you could also top your cooled carrot cake loaf with a naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting like the one I use for Pumpkin Cookies. Frost just before slicing and serving.
- Making carrot bread for breakfast?
- A plate of the Best Scrambled Eggs would go great with a slice of carrot bread.
- Delicious homemade Instant Pot oatmeal would also pair nicely.
CARROT CAKE LOAF RECIPE FAQS
Does carrot bread need to be refrigerated?
You can store carrot bread at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to a week. Make sure the carrot loaf is completely cool before placing it in the bag to avoid extra moisture, which will cause it to go bad more quickly.
You can also freeze your carrot cake loaf! Check out my ultimate guide to freezing bread for the best method to freeze quick bread recipes like this.
Should I use regular yogurt or Greek yogurt for this carrot bread recipe?
I prefer to use Greek yogurt in this carrot bread recipe because it gives a better rise than regular yogurt.
Can I substitute brown sugar for maple syrup in carrot breakfast bread?
I prefer to use a natural sweetener like maple syrup rather than granulated sugar or brown sugar. Of course, if you cannot use maple syrup, you can substitute brown sugar. Use about 1 cup in place of the ½ cup of maple syrup.
Why is carrot cake bread so moist?
This carrot cake bread gets its moisture from the carrots themselves, which release a bit of moisture as they bake, as well as from the Greek yogurt in the batter. The result is a moist carrot cake loaf that is perfectly soft and delicious!
MORE YUMMY BREAKFAST BREADS AND MUFFINS
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Caramelized Banana Bread
- 5-Ingredient Banana Bread Muffins
- Molasses Breakfast Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins with Apples and Carrots
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Spiced Carrot Bread
This naturally sweetened carrot bread makes for a moist and delicious treat, a great snack, or even a healthy breakfast option! You’ll want to make a triple batch of this quick and easy freezer-friendly carrot cake bread, so you’ll always have some on hand.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes – 1 hour
- Total Time: 26 minutes – 1 hour & 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 (9 x 5) loaves or 24 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ¾ c walnuts, chopped (measure first, then chop)
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 ¾ c + 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp + ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups shredded carrots (you can use a food processor for grated carrots)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla (here’s how to make it homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare baking cups (for muffins) or loaf pans with cooking spray. See notes below for info on mini loaves and muffins.
- In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, raisins, and 1 Tbsp flour. Mix well so the raisins don’t clump together. Add the rest of the flour (1 ¾ cup), baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt, and ¼ tsp + ⅛ tsp nutmeg and stir together well. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups shredded carrots, maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until the wet ingredients are combined well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Scoop ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup or pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 15-18 min (mine took exactly 16 min) until the center comes out clean on an inserted toothpick. If using a loaf pan, extend the cooking time to 30 minutes.
Notes
Bake this recipe 3 ways! Your choice:
- 9 x 5 loaf pans (1 hour bake time)
- Mini loaf pans (30 mins, *bake times & yield will vary depending on sizes of mini loaves)
- Muffins (16 mins)
Ovens vary, so be sure to monitor to avoid over-baking. Especially since mini-loaf sizes vary.
Nutrition
- Calories: 92
I’m a little confused about the baking time for loaves…the text above the recipe card indicates 30 minutes in Step 8 but in another area it’s stated that mini-loaves bake for 30 minutes and regular loaves for 1 hour. The recipe card indicates a yield of 2 loaves and cooking time of 30 minutes. The comment above indicates 1 hour for regular loaves. Can you clarify?
Hi Carole, It’s 1 hour for a 9x 5 loaf pan, but 30 mins for a mini loaf. And 16 mins for a tray of muffins. Thanks for catching our mistake!
I’d like to add pineapple to this recipe? Any suggestions?
Use dried pineapple or the pineapple juice.