Healthy carrot cake bread loaf with pineapple is a light, fluffy, moist, and delicious quick bread recipe for your Easter or spring table. Made with grated carrots, toasted pecans, warm cinnamon, and a touch of sweetness (with no icing!), this quick bread is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a mid-day snack.
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If you're looking for healthy carrot cake bread to feed your brunch guests this Easter, this recipe is a perfect choice! Similar to banana bread or zucchini bread and made with no refined sugar, this gluten-free quick bread is a delicious and healthy version of a seasonal classic family favorite!
Add this to your Easter brunch table along with a puff pastry quiche, gluten-free coffee cake or baked carrot cake oatmeal, and some healthy deviled eggs for an easy and healthy springtime brunch.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious texture. Pineapple gives a natural sweetness that helps to keep the recipe free of refined sugar and adds moisture.
- Less sugar and is excellent for dietary restrictions. This healthy carrot cake bread with pineapple is naturally sweetened with fruit and has less sugar than the traditional recipe. It is naturally gluten-free and can be vegan.
- The perfect recipe for carrots. Great use of carrots if you have extra on hand.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Sweetener: I used Truvia can sugar blend to make it with less sugar. To make it paleo, use coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup. For vegan preparation, do not use honey.
- Coconut flour: Only use coconut flour for this carrot cake bread. See Recipe FAQs for tips regarding swapping out flours.
- Cinnamon: Nutmeg or even pumpkin spice is a great alternative here.
- Toasted pecans: You can use whatever nuts you have on hand (walnuts would also be delicious). Toasted coconut would work as a nut-free topping.
- Crushed pineapple: Do not skip this ingredient since it adds incredible moisture to the recipe. Feel free to add some raisins if you like them and want the sweetness.
- Eggs: To make vegan, use an egg replacer or substitute with applesauce.
- Butter: Swap for coconut oil or vegan butter if making it vegan.
How to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
- Measure out dry ingredients and mix them together. Set aside.
- Cream sugar and butter until combined. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla and Greek yogurt. Fold in shredded carrots and drained crushed pineapple. Mix until incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Do not over-mix. Add to a prepared bread pan and top with toasted pecans.
- Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack for further cooling.
Expert Tips
- Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly! If there is too much moisture, the bread will fall in the middle and likely won't be cooked through.
- The unbaked dough is very thick due to the coconut flour. This is correct and will bake fine.
- Do not over-mix the dough as the texture will become dense and gummy.
- Wait for the carrot cake bread to cool completely before cutting to avoid a crumbly mess.
Storage, Freezer, and Make Ahead Tips
- Storage: Cooled bread can be left out on the countertop for a few hours. For longer storage, completely cool before storing to avoid mold. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, foil, or an airtight container for up to 1 week. Note that the bread may dry out more in the refrigerator and you may want to microwave it before eating to take the chill off.
- Freezer: Store cooled, unsliced loaf wrapped in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, cooled slices may be placed between pieces of parchment paper and wrapped tightly then stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: Carrot cake bread may be made ahead and frozen. I recommend not slicing the loaf if possible for freezing.
FAQs
This healthy carrot cake bread is lower in sugar than the traditional recipe. I used Truvia cane sugar blend and omitted the cream cheese frosting for a lighter and healthier recipe.
You may have added too much flour and not enough moisture. This healthy carrot cake bread gets its moisture from the pineapple so be sure to use drained crushed pineapple and do not omit it.
Note that before baking the loaf it may seem dry and not moist. This is due to the coconut flour and will bake just fine.
You can leave carrot cake bread out for a few hours at room temperature. Longer storage should be tightly wrapped in foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Instead of doubling the recipe, I recommend making two batches to ensure even baking and consistent results.
Avoid using a dark or heavy bread pan. Also, you can top with foil once the top and sides start to brown to avoid burning.
This generally means that the carrot cake bread is undercooked. Add in additional minutes next time.
Coconut flour bakes much differently compared to any other flour. I do not recommend swapping flours for this recipe.
For a quick bread recipe using all-purpose or gluten-free flour, refer to our zucchini bread with applesauce or banana bread recipe.
Related Recipes
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Quick & Healthy Carrot Cake Bread Loaf with Pineapple
Equipment
- 1 bread pan
- 1 coconut oil spray
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup crushed pineapple drained
Other Ingredients
- ¼ cup pecans chopped & toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepared a bread pan by spraying with coconut oil.
- Measure out dry ingredients and mix together. I like to sift my ingredients but it's not essential. Set aside.¾ cup coconut flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Cream sugar and butter until combined. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla and greek yogurt. Fold in shredded carrots and drained, crushed pineapple. Mix until incorporated.⅓ cup coconut sugar, ¼ cup butter, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup crushed pineapple
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until combined. Do not overstir. Add to prepared bread pan and top with toasted pecans.¼ cup pecans
- Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack for further cooling.
Notes
- Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly! If there is too much moisture, the bread will fall in the middle and likely won't be cooked through.
- The unbaked dough is very thick due to the coconut flour. This is correct and will bake fine.
- Do not over-mix the dough as the texture will become dense and gummy.
- Wait for the bread to cool completely before cutting to avoid a crumbly mess.
- Storage: Cooled bread can be wrapped and stored on the countertop for up to 4 days. Be sure it is tightly wrapped and completely cool to avoid mold. If refrigerating, store tightly wrapped in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Note that the bread may dry out more in the refrigerator and you may want to microwave it before eating to take the chill off.
- Freezer: Store cooled, unsliced loaf wrapped in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, cooled slices may be placed between pieces of parchment paper and wrapped tightly then stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: Bread may be made ahead and frozen. I recommend not slicing the loaf if possible for freezing.
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Morgan says
Could this be made with 2c of measure for measure gluten free flour ?
Lyndsey Piccolino says
I have not tested it with gluten-free 1-1 flour, and coconut flour is much different. If you want to make a quick bread that is a one-for-one gluten-free flour swap, try my zucchini bread or banana bread recipes.
Emily says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you think if I opted to double it, I could bake in a 9x9 square pan??
Lyndsey says
I haven't tried that yet but if you do, let me know how it works out!