My boyfriend’s favorite cake is carrot cake. As well as mine. But to be honest, we rarely eat cake. Maybe once in a blue moon at a birthday party. Well…that is if we are lucky enough that the hosts are carrot cake lovers too!

So I thought, why not make him a bread that is based off carrot cake? One that is healthy so he can enjoy it during the week.

This bread is loaded with good stuff - coconut oil, apples, zucchini and carrots. You can also add chocolate chips for a sweeter touch.

Carrot Cake Bread

Adapted from PreventionRD.com

2⅔ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp all-spice

⅛ tsp nutmeg

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

⅓ cup coconut oil

⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2½ cups zucchini, grated (about 2)

¾ cup carrot, grated (about 2 carrots)

¾ cup apple, cored and grated (about 1 large)

½ cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 F. Mist 4 mini loaf pans or one large loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg; set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the sugars, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.

- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to combine. Fold in the zucchini, carrot, apple, and pecans. Evenly distribute the batter between each of the loaf pans or into one large pan. Sprinkle with oats.

- Bake for about 50-60 minutes (45 minutes if using mini loaf pans) or until tops of loaves are slightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly. Let cool slightly and invert the bread out of the pans and cool completely. I like to store the bread in the refrigerator.

carrot cake bread