What happens when carrot cake meets healthy banana bread? Carrot cake banana bread! Aka the perfect Easter dessert for breakfast, brunch and tea time!

Carrot cake, from all the delicious treats you can make & bake this time of the year, is definitely my go-to Easter dessert.

But what happens when carrot cake meets super moist and sweet banana bread? Carrot cake banana bread!

Basically your Easter breakfast, brunch, tea snack all sorted in one mouth-watering slice.

Or two. Or three. It's a holiday after all.

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

If you're looking for healthy banana bread, this is probably the one.

It's quite low in refined sugar and fats compared to your usual cake and banana bread.

Plus, it's loaded with fruit & veggies - which is a great way to help you get your 5 a day.

Grated carrots and extra ripe bananas are great in this recipe, because you don’t need to add as much sugar as you normally would.

Also, for a lighter result, I've cut the fats and used healthier coconut oil instead of butter. I added a splash of fresh milk, but you can also use dairy-free milk if you like.

This Carrot Cake Banana Bread tastes deliciously moist, and I absolutely love it plain for breakfast.

But for the ultimate treat, I recommend adding the ricotta frosting. In my opinion it kind of makes this cake/bread extra special.

I used my homemade ricotta recipe, but you can totally use storebought ricotta if you like.

Add the ricotta frosting has the perfect crunchiness inside and a luscious healthy frosting on top.

A real treat to make for Easter breakfast or any other occasion!

How to store banana bread

Make sure it is fully cooled before storing it.

You can place it in an airtight container, or a ziplock plastic bag, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.

I recommend placing a sheet of kitchen paper beneath the bread to absorb the moisture in excess.

You can store it at room temperature for a couple of days, in the fridge for up to 4-6 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. 

The easiest way to store banana bread in the freezer is to cut it into slices. Make sure to leave it without frosting.

Arrange them on a baking tray and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer the slices into a large ziplock bag and place them in the freezer.

Whenever you're in the mood for a healthy treat, simply take a slice or two out of the freezer, and place it in the toaster for a couple of minutes. Then top with a little ricotta frosting and serve.

More Easter Desserts To Try:

If you liked this easy dessert recipe, I'm sure you'll also love this easy Magic Water Cake made with simple cupboard ingredients. 

For an awesome dairy-free breakfast treat, give these Carrot Cake Baked Donuts a try, they're absolutely delish!

And if you're into chocolate egg treats, then these Cheesecake Chocolate Eggs are a must-try. 

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Carrot Cake Banana Bread

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What happens when carrot cake meets healthy banana bread? Carrot cake banana bread! Aka the perfect Easter dessert for breakfast, brunch and tea time!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serving: 12

Author: Andrea Soranidis

Ingredients

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Wet ingredients:

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 100 g demerara sugar
• 80 ml coconut oil
• 1 medium free-range egg
• 50 ml fresh whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

• 240 g whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 pinches sea salt
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 300 g finely grated carrots
• 3 tablespoon chopped walnuts

For the frosting:

• 100 g fresh ricotta, well drained
• zest of one orange
• 30 g demerara sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, to decorate
• 1 tablespoon grated carrot, to decorate

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F, and line a 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, then mix in all the remaining wet ingredients.
• In a another bowl mix together the dry ingredients.
• Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Mix until fully combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
• Finally add chopped carrots and nuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• In the meantime, whisk the ricotta cheese with sugar, until you get a smooth and rich cream. Add freshly grated orange zest and mix until just combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When the banana bread is ready, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool. Then remove the bread from the pan and arrange on a cooling rack.
• Spread the ricotta frosting on top, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and grated carrot, and serve.

Notes

How to store banana bread:

Make sure your banana bread is fully cooled before storing it.

You can place it in an airtight container, or a ziplock plastic bag, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. I recommend placing a sheet of kitchen paper beneath the bread to absorb the moisture in excess.

You can store it at room temperature for a couple of days, in the fridge for up to 4-6 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. 

The easiest way to store it in the freezer:

Keep the banana bread unfrosted, cut it into slices, arrange them on a baking tray and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer the slices into a large ziplock bag and place in the freezer.

Whenever you're in the mood for it, simply take a slice or two out of the freezer, and place in the toaster for a couple of minutes.

Top with a little ricotta frosting and serve.

Did you try this recipe? Tag @thepetitecook or use the hashtag #thepetitecook - Looking at your pictures makes my day!

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was originally published in April 2017 and updated with more info.