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I never thought I would like carrot cake. Vegetables in my dessert? Seemed like a ploy parents used to get unsuspecting kids to eat their greens. Worse, I actually think bananas are terrible. Their texture is slimy, and once they’re ripe, they’re only salvageable in baked goods like banana bread.
So when I initially came across this recipe for my Grandma Della’s “Banana Carrot Cake” while sifting through the recipe box I may have pilfered from my Nana (in the name of planning our heritage recipe series for the blog), I was fully prepared to skip it. That is, until I remembered that my husband, sister-in-law, and favorite human Sharon all love carrot cake. So I decided to give it a try.
You know what the most amazing thing about baking is? You’re basically an alchemist. You take very different ingredients and work magic. Whether you mix them, blend them, sift them, or fold them in—like Aristotle said: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
We gave this cake a try, and after a few attempts to make it gluten-free, we ended up with a lovely alternative to regular banana bread and a great addition to the Easter dessert table. Along the way, I also learned a few things—about the use of carrots, adding moisture to baked goods, and just how much banana is too much.
We hope you give this recipe a try and work a little magic in your own kitchen.
Adjusting for Gluten-Free
For my first attempt at baking this cake, I followed the recipe exactly—replacing only the flour with a gluten-free blend: King Arthur’s, a mix I particularly like for simple things like cookies, muffins, and scones. I’m also a fan of the fact that the company is employee-owned.
The cake turned out well, but it wasn’t great. It was a bit dense and had that dry, crumbly texture gluten-free baked goods tend to get after sitting out for a day. So I took a few notes and resolved that next time I’d add more moisture to balance the dry ingredients—especially since the cake was loaded with raisins, shredded carrots, and walnuts, all of which added to the overall density.
The next time I made it, I added plain Greek yogurt to the mix, and the cake came out with a much better texture: moist, less dense, and soft to the touch on the inside. Perfect!
If you have questions about substitutions based on dietary restrictions, food allergies, or anything else, click [here] for a comprehensive list of options.
A Note on GF Texture
I was also surprised to find that this was one of the few gluten-free recipes I could store in the fridge for up to a week—and it only got better. Normally, I bake and immediately freeze whatever I know I won’t eat within 24 hours, because the texture of gluten-free baked goods can change dramatically as they sit. Fluffy white bread can turn into pound cake if you’re not careful!
But with this one, I found that after several days in the fridge, the flavor deepened while the texture stayed consistent. I ended up snacking on the cake for the rest of the week!
Banana Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Banana Carrot Cake
- ½ cup butter or margarine plus a little more to grease the pan, a teaspoon should do
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup ripe mashed bananas
- 1 cup grated carrots
- ½ cup of dark raisins
- ¼ cup walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1- 3 oz package of cream cheese
- ¼ cup of butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the Pan: Grease a 9-inch square or bundt pan and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, I prefer to use my stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar by beating the ingredients together until the mixture is light and fluffy. It should look like it has the texture of cookie dough by the time you are done.¼ cup of butter, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Beat in Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.2 eggs
- Add Greek Yogurt: Mix greek yogurt into the egg, sugar and butter mixture until it is fully incorporated.1 cup greek yogurt
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, mix together:2 cups gluten free flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Combine Mixtures: Gradually blend the flour mixture into the creamed butter and sugar.
- Add Fruits and Veggies: Fold them in as you slowly incorporate them1 cup ripe mashed bananas, 1 cup grated carrots, ½ cup of dark raisins, ¼ cup walnuts
Pour and Bake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan–In a square pan: 45 minutes–Bundt Pan: 40-45 minutes–In cupcakes: about 15-25 minutes (don’t forget to place cupcake tins or liners in the molds. This is a great option if you are meal prepping for breakfasts– just skip the frosting! Or don’t. Live your life).
- Cream Cheese frosting: In a small bowl mix together softened cream cheese (leave it out while you bake or even microwave it slightly to soften it– just remember to take it out of the foil wrapping) and add melted butter, powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. Mix together until the frosting is a smooth consistency.
- Once the cake is cooled you can drizzle the frosting over the cake.
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