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Carrot Cake Banana Bread

Carrot cake banana bread with spiced banana loaf flavor and visible shredded carrot through a golden crumb. Topped with a quick cream cheese frosting for a two-in-one bread that tastes like carrot cake and bakes like banana bread.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana carrot loaf
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)
  • 0.333 cup butter, melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ginger
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup walnuts, chopped
Cream cheese frosting
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Bake the banana carrot loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, then set it aside so the pan is ready for batter.
  2. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas, then stir until glossy and evenly combined.
  3. Stir in the shredded carrots until you see shredded carrot throughout the batter.
  4. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt just until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Fold in the chopped walnuts so they distribute without overmixing.
  6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 60–70 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is deeply golden.
Frost and serve
  1. Cool the loaf completely so the frosting stays smooth and doesn’t melt.
  2. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, then spread the frosting across the top in an even layer.
  3. Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best sliceable texture.

Notes

For clean slices, chill the frosted loaf for 1–2 hours before cutting. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days (bring to room temperature to soften slightly). Freeze the unfrosted loaf for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight and frost after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese in the frosting; sweetness and spreadability stay similar.