True confession time. I could eat carrot cake with cream cheese frosting every day of my life if weight and remaining healthy were not a concern. But since they are, I probably only bake a carrot cake once a year. But when I do – watch out baby. Because carrot cake is good 3 times a day – for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I really can’t stop myself. I like carrot cake that much!

So when I was preparing food for our last trailer trip, I thought a healthy (emphasis on healthy) quick bread would be nice to have along. Quick breads (think banana bread) are perfect with breakfast, for an elevenses snack with a cup of coffee, or even for dessert. So then, what quick bread to fix? And for whatever reason, I thought about how much I love carrot cake. Which then naturally led me to – why not a carrot bread?

Now I had never thought about a carrot bread before, much less tasted one (that I can remember), but the idea of a carrot quick bread was like a revelation. Maybe all those lovely carrot cake ingredients could be magically transformed into something I could enjoy more often than once a year! Then, I couldn’t imagine that someone out there wasn’t already several steps ahead of me in developing a recipe. So I went on line. And I found a recipe on the An Oregon Cottage web site that was almost what I was looking for. So I started with Jami’s recipe and added my own special touches. And I came up with the recipe I am sharing with you today. (Is that applause I hear coming from your computer?)

So to make a long story short, we cut into this bread for breakfast one morning while on our trip, and there was much rejoicing in the Carr trailer with our first bite.

Now understand, this carrot bread is never going to take the place of carrot cake with its moist and delicious texture and cream cheese frosting to die for. Never in a million years. However, not wanting either of us to die any time in the near future mandates a change in our way of thinking about food. And I’m thinking this bread is a pretty darn good way to enjoy the wonderful flavor of carrot cake without having the little devil that lives on my left shoulder applauding my lack of self-control, while the little angel who sits on my other shoulder weeps uncontrollably into a soggy Kleenex!

So if you love carrot cake, and happen to be looking for a quick bread with lots of carrot cake flavor, that’s easy to prepare, and contains considerably less carbohydrates than “the real thing”, this recipe is for you. And yes, you can add a bit of frosting or glaze to the top of this delicious bread. But you’re not going to get a recipe from me. I have enough to deal with from my own little devil. I don’t need yours hounding me too! (Enjoy the recipe and love and peace to all.)

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour*

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. allspice

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ c. sour cream

½ c. real maple syrup

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted  

1 lg. egg

2½ c. shredded carrots

¼ c. golden raisins

¼ c. shredded coconut

½ c. chopped walnuts or pecans  

cooking spray

Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, maple syrup, melted and cooled butter, and egg. Pour the sour cream mixture over the dry ingredients and mix just until just combined. Fold in the carrots along with the golden raisins, coconut, and walnuts. (The dough will be very thick.)

Spread the dough evenly into a large loaf pan or two smaller loaf pans that have been coated with cooking spray. Level off the tops with an offset spatula.    

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50 to 65 minutes (depending on the size of your pan or pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan(s) for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a metal rack to cool completely.

Store in refrigerator or freezer.  

*or you can use all whole wheat flour