Carrot Apple Bread sweetened only with fruit that can be adapted to be dairy and gluten free or paleo friendly! This recipe is perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack and treat. Since this bread is only sweetened with fruit and allergy friendly it is also perfect for baby led weaning.
I was requested a recipe for a bread / muffin that was only sweetened with fruit but no bananas and I was happy to take on this challenge. We have a few favorite carrot apple bread recipes, but all of them have sugar and also have a banana! I was hoping that if I replaced the banana with more applesauce it would work and I was excited when it did! I leaned on some extra cinnamon for flavor without the sugar. We have been trying to limit the amount of sugar and we thought this was plenty sweet without added sweetener. If you want your family to have a healthy veggie and fruit loaded bread and you do not think they will enjoy it without some added sugar you can feel free to add 1/4 – 1/3 cup of sugar, maple syrup or honey.
How to Make Carrot Apple Bread
This Carrot Apple Bread is super easy and comes together in minutes in one bowl! You can grate the carrot yourself or make this even easier and buy carrots already grated.
First whisk together all of your dry ingredients except for the oats. Then add and whisk in all of your wet ingredients, except for your carrots. Finally fold in the carrots and oats. Once everything is fully incorporated set it up in your loaf pan and bake!
I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and it worked easily! If I make it again I would test it with some oat flour as well. It was a little more dense than the whole wheat flour version and the gluten free flours seemed to absorb more of the cinnamon. If you make this gluten free I would add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon. Although, my daughter, husband and I thought they tasted almost the same. For the Paleo Version I used Bob’s Red Mill new 1-1 Paleo Blend that I love. It yields a super moist bread and I love the subtle nutty flavor. Let me know which version your family loves!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour of choice see note below
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2-3 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp extra if you love cinnamon and for gluten free version
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil I used avocado
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup grated carrots about 2 medium carrots
- 1/4 cup sugar (coconut, raw, honey, maple all work) optional (it is sweet enough for us without it, but if you are used to sweeter breads you may want a little)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease your favorite loaf pan
- Whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmein a medium bowl
- Add in your wet ingredients (applesauce, milk, vanilla, egg, oiand whisk until throughly combined
- Add and fold in your oats and carrots
- Pour into prepared loaf pan
- Bake for 40-45 minutes (you know its done when the edges are lightly browned and starting to separate from the sides of the pan and the bread will bounce back when you touch it)
- Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan
- After you remove it from the pan let it cool on a wire rack for additional 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
1. Flour Choice - I tested with the following flours a. Whole Wheat Flour b. Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Flour Blend: This version was slightly more dense then the other versions and absorbed the flavors more. I would add 1 extra tsp of cinnamon. c. Bob's Red Mill Paleo Blend 2. Sugar - we have been trying to limit the amount of sugar in household and we thought this was plenty sweet without added sweetener. If you want your family to have a healthy veggie and fruit loaded bread and you do not think they will enjoy it without some added sugar you can feel free to add 1/4 - 1/3 cup of sugar, maple syrup or honey.
