This healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is guaranteed to be a new favorite! It is the perfect blend of carrot cake and banana bread. It is INCREDIBLE! You would never know this is gluten free. It is soft and moist and so delicious!   

The perfect dessert for Easter that won’t leave you feeling heavy. It’s the perfect pure, balanced life dessert.

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free All purpose flour
• 1/2 cup oats (make sure these are Gluten Free)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients
• 2 medium very ripe banana, mashed (¾ cup mashed banana)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, brown sugar, or organic sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons melted and cooled coconut oil
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)
• 1/3 cup Almond Milk
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

Optional add-ins:
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 4 oz whipped or reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar or 20 drops liquid vanilla stevia (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8×4 or 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2 In a large bowl, whisk together GF flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
3 In a medium bowl, mix together mashed banana, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well combined and creamy. Add in applesauce and almond milk, then fold in carrots. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined — DO NOT OVERMIX. Gently fold in melted coconut oil and 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.
4 Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Ours took 55 minutes in an 8×4 inch loaf pan. If you use a 9×5 inch pan, you may need to check the bread at 40 minutes.
5 Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling completely.
6 To make cinnamon cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar (or liquid stevia), vanilla and cinnamon together on medium speed for a minute or until smooth. Spread over cooled bread. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans. Cut into 10-12 slices and enjoy!

NOTES
To make vegan: Use dairy free cream cheese and a flax egg instead of a regular egg.

Bread can be made a day or two ahead of time, just wrap in plastic wrap to seal in moisture and frost before you serve. Banana bread is always best the next day.

You can make this recipe into muffins/cupcakes. You’ll need to adjust your baking time, but I suggest checking them between 15-18 minutes.

Feel free to add in other favorites such as: shredded coconut flakes, raisins, walnuts instead of pecans, or pineapple.  Really anything goes in this dessert!

 

This is the perfect Easter dessert to enjoy surrounded by family and friends. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!  From our LIVEDEN family to yours, sending all our love that your hearts and homes are filled with love this Easter ♡.