My love for all things carrot cake is about to meet my current obsession with kefir in this HEALTHY Carrot Cake Bread recipe.
Not even going to beat around the bush here.
You know I love cake for breakfast. ESPECIALLY carrot cake. You and I have been around the carrot-cake-for-breakfast-clock a couple of times with carrot cake overnight oats, carrot cake Instant Pot French Toast Casserole and healthy gluten-free carrot cake muffins
But you know what was missing during our walk around this block? KEFIR.
Kefir Magic
Awww yah! The yummy, creamy, probiotic goodness that is kefir is BACK and it’s SHINING.
Considering we’ve also been around the kefir-baked-goods-for-breakfast block with healthy gluten-free chocolate chip muffins and PB & J healthy soft oatmeal breakfast bars, it was just TIME to combine the 2, ya know?
Kefir is an amazing ingredient to really pump up this bread because it acts kind of like buttermilk (like in the blueberry kefir pancakes) and makes the bread SUPER moist and have a nice, domed top!
Not to mention, kefir is made from high-quality milk from happy, grass-fed cows and is non-GMO, which is just the icing on this icing-less carrot cake loaf!
why you will LOVE this Recipe
- This loaf of sweet bread calls for an array of warm spices, fruits and veggies, nuts, and whole wheat flour. It tastes incredible but it also uses wholesome, nourishing ingredients that you’ll feel good about putting in your body and serving to your family and friends.
- It’s a FAB choice for breakfast because of the protein in the nuts, the sweetness of the pineapple and carrots, health benefits of kefir, and the better-for-you ingredient swaps I’ve made, such as coconut sugar and coconut oil.
- I love a nice, thick slice of bread for breakfast. It’s just so satisfying and filling in the morning. Whether I’m craving some Vegan, Gluten-Free Banana Bread or carrot cake bread, it ALWAYS hits the spot, and this Healthy Carrot Cake Bread is no exception!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (210g)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2/3 crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 cup vanilla kefir
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup carrot, peeled, grated and tightly packed
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped + more for topping (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line the bottom of an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the carrot and pecans.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the carrots and pecans.
- Pour into the pan, topping with more pecans, if desired.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is brown, 47-55 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan COMPLETELY.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cooled pan, turn out onto a cutting board and slice and DEVOUR!
Tips and Tricks For Making Delicious Carrot Cake Bread
- Do not overmix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Stop once they are JUST combined. Going any further can lead to dense, tough bread.
- Let the cake cool COMPLETELY. Cutting into a hot cake increases the odds it will crumble and fall apart. A cool cake is a firm cake, which is easier to cut and serve.
- When folding in the carrots and pecans, do so GENTLY. Take your time. If you overdo it, you’ll lose volume and the integrity of the bread will be compromised.
fAQs
Yes, of course, but you will lose out on the health benefits of the whole wheat variety.
This bread can be eaten on its own, but if you like a bit of sweetness, add a drizzle of honey. Or you can go the other way and add something savory, such as a fried or scrambled egg, bacon or sausage, or a side of sautéed vegetables.
While icing is ALWAYS an option, the goal of this recipe was to make a carrot cake bread that’s healthy and a viable breakfast item. Icing kinda cancels out the ‘health’ part. If you’re looking for a more traditional carrot cake, you might like to try my Carrot Cake Bread recipe and ice till your heart’s content!
How to Store Quick Breads
I love baking quick breads for a few reasons, some of which I outlined above. They are packed with nutrition, they are easy to whip up, they’re a quick breakfast for those busy mornings or snack on the go, and the best part of all? They taste so incredibly delicious! They also freeze really well and thaw quickly, so when I set out to bake one, I often bake a few for later! I recommend storing it in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to a week. If you decide to freeze it for the future, I recommend slicing it into portions, then freezing the slices in between pieces of parchment paper, or each slice in its own individual Ziploc bag.
Other Healthy Carrot Recipes
Gluten-Free Coconut Flour Carrot Cake Dip
Carrot Cake Paleo Magic Cookie Bars
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Carrot Muffins with Garam Masala
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 Cups White whole wheat flour (210g)
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup Coconut sugar
- 2/3 Cup Crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/2 Cup Kalona Supernatural Vanilla Kefir
- 1/4 Cup Coconut oil, melted
- 2 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup Carrot, Peeled, Grated and tightly packed
- 1/2 Cup Pecans, Roughly chopped + more for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line the bottom of an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the carrot and pecans.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the carrots and pecans.
- Pour into the pan, topping with more pecans, if desired.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is brown, 47-55 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan COMPLETELY.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cooled pan, turn out onto a cutting board and slice and DEVOUR!
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
Ann says
I can’t see the recipe or your post at all … all I see is a sign up form for your cookbook.
Taylor Kiser says
Can you email me a screenshot please? [email protected] it should be right at the bottom of the page!
Vicky says
Yum! Carrot bread-perfect for this time of year as we all think about bunnies nibbling on carrots. 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
Thanks!!
Anita says
Such an incredible looking bread. And the ingredients are indeed healthy. I love kefir and it’s nice to see recipe using it.
Taylor Kiser says
Hope you love it!
Laura | Wandercooks says
I looooooove carrot bread!! I’m very excited to try this recipe 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
Yay! Hope you love!
Cyndy says
I love finding new recipes that are made using kefir. Can’t wait to try this bread this weekend.
Taylor Kiser says
Hope you love!
Dannii says
What a delicious loaf. Anything with carrot cake flavours is good with me.
Melissa says
I think there was a typo error in the recipe. It said 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. So I put in 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the carrot bread turned out bitter! Otherwise, everything else was perfect. The loaf was nice and moist.
Taylor Kiser says
No, it’s not a typo. Feel free to decrease the amount of cinnamon to your personal liking.