Carrot Cake Bread with Nutella Swirl Cream Cheese Frosting.
Say hello to the trashiest little carrot cake that you ever did see.
Wanna know why?
Brown butter.
Brown sugar.
Bananas.
(I know. Lots of Bs.)
Coconut!
Cream cheese.
(and Cs?)
and…
NUTELLA.
Need I say more?
Pretty sure the only thing that didn’t make it into this bread is some form of booze.
Sometimes it still blows my mind that I hated nutella for 31 years of my life. Or at least I thought that I hated nutella. I think it’s safe to say I can thank Max for my current love of it.
Also, I’ve had a super serious craving for some sort of carrot cake ever since Heather shared one in late February. That first photo? UGH. I just want to eat first-birthday-cake style. Face smash worthy.
And it’s nuts, because carrot cake is rarely my go-to. But it’s been all I can think about. The thing is, it’s never just the carrot cake I want. It’s always always always the cream cheese frosting.
I can’t even with the cream cheese frosting.
It’s 2015 now and “I can’t even” is most certainly out right?
Well I can’t even with you, 2015.
A few years ago I made banana carrot cupcakes with coconut cream cheese frosting and I even had a little helper.
Bonus: they have Cadbury mini eggs on top. Like little nests! Which is completely awesome and fun.
Until you realize that you have to buy a whole bag of Cadbury mini eggs.
And then you figure that you may as well just buy two bags, because of, well… seasonal priorities.
And then you set them out on the counter in an adorable pastel Easter bowl to be all festive and stuff and so when you have guests, they can have a little snack!
Except. You are the guest(s).
It’s really fun.
You eat alllllll the mini eggs.
It’s only Spring once, after all.
(PSA: this is all lies, because they now have Cadbury mini eggs at Christmas so there’s that. And now life is flipped upside down.)
Before I finish speaking terrifying gibberish, I’m thinking that those cupcakes will be the dessert that I make for Easter. But in the meantime, cravings must be squashed.
So I made carrot banana coconut cake bread with cream cheese nutella swirl icing.
Way too long of a name. Wasn’t going to subject you to THAT.
I based the cake bread off of the brown butter banana bread in Seriously Delish because I knew it was a foolproof browned butter bread recipe.
could.not.stop.eating.
I mean. JUST LOOK!
Let’s all take a swim in that.
Last week I might have eaten a half a slice at 2:30AM (#momlife) and then a skinny slice at like 6AM. Skinny slices and random bite calories don’t count. It’s a fact.
Surprisingly it was a perfect snack. Or not surprisingly? It’s vegetable bread!
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, light or full fat is fine
- 2 cups packed freshly grated carrots
- 1 cup packed shredded, sweetened coconut
cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces (1 block) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup nutella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan liberally with nonstick spray. (Mine is 9 1/2×5 so that works too)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until it is combined and somewhat smooth. Add in the eggs and vanilla bean paste, whisking until combined. Use a spoon to stir in the bananas and coconut milk. Stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined, and then add in the carrots and coconut. Stir just until the batter comes together and the carrots are evenly dispersed.
- Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the cake is no longer jiggly in the center. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Remove from the pan and let cool completely before frosting.
nutella swirled cream cheese frosting
- Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat on medium speed until creamy. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the sugar and beat until combined. Add the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides if needed. Beat the frosting on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until super creamy. Frost the cake once cooled completely. Take a knife or spoon and swirl the nutella overtop of the frosting – it will be messy and crazy! You can use a knife to scrape the frosting off the sides of the loaf and put it back on top and swirl more. This cake is definitely stored best in the fridge!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
OMG WE’RE EATING VEGGIES.
72 Comments on “Carrot Cake Bread with Nutella Swirl Cream Cheese Frosting.”
Carrot cake is my all time favorite so naturally I’ve been craving it too now that spring has spring (sort of…). Nutella on carrot cake is genius!!
Hi, yeah I’m pretty sure I need to cancel my weekend plans and make this ! Carrot cake just got brought up a notch (or three)! Love love love!
Needless to say, this is the BEST looking carrot cake bread ever.
Vegetable bread – I’m totally on board with that!
That frosting makes me weak in the knees! Help!
Ok, insert heart-eyed smiley and the girl with both hands raised emoji here like 60004025405208457 times because carrot cake IS. MY. FAVE! This looks gorgeous Jess. Veggie cakes for the win!
Okay, so I’m pretty sure my heart just stopped when this popped into my feed. Carrot cake is my ultimate weakness! And so is Nutella and cream cheese frosting. Heaven!
Oh it’s basically ALL about the cream cheese frosting. And then plus Nutella – I die. YUM-O! Happy Friday, Jessica!
when i read “And now life is flipped upside down”, i now will sing the Fresh Prince theme song all day.
thanks Jess
PS: I heart everything about this cake.
PPS: Is “heart” out in 2015 too? I can’t even.
I want this in my face now ………. mmmmm dear I say, carrot cake, is my favourite cake — it has to be the old lady in me.
I need to make this…like, yesterday. THAT. SWIRL.
This is one trashy carrot cake I do not mind! Cut me a big ol slice!
LET’S SWAP CARROT CAKE THINGS ON SUNDAY!!!!
THIS LOOKS AMAZING! I could eat nutella on EVERY THANG. Thanks for always trashing up food in the best ways possible :) <3
I love the way you trash things up. I’ve been craving carrot cake HARD the past few days because it’s almost Easter and it’s springtime and I feel like everyone is talking about carrot cake and now that’s all I want to eat. And nutella!! Always.
Trashed up is always better. I want some now! Literally walking to my kitchen.
Just when I thought a carrot cake couldn’t get any better…it gets Nutella added to it! Looks amazing, thanks for sharing!
I love that you merged your brown butter banana bread recipe with carrot cake! I love carrot cake so much! And banana bread. Like I’d take banana bread any day over just about any other dessert or sweet! And that frosting. So glad you’re on the Nutella train now!
Holy shit that looks insulin worthy! Does it count as a veggie serving Jessica?! Happy Friday!
nutella needs to be swirled into frosting always.
Ugh, this looks amazing. I will make it and then make it again. Do you think if I left out the coconut, it would change the consistency? I have a friend that loves everything else but coconut. Thanks!
Hi, I’m making this. Like tomorrow. And will probably eat the entire thing moments later. PS – welcome to team Nutella. We’re happy to have you. xo
This carrot cake looks amazing! Love the Nutella frosting! So good!
Wow! Looks so great. I love anything with Nutella in it. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Um, wow. I can’t wait to make this.
Talk about faceplate worthy. THIS LOOKS SO YUM. Also, those mini cadbury eggs are going to be the death of me. I can house a bag like no one’s business. Can you say “addictive”?! I love/hate you for telling us they exist at Christmas time too.
You had me at Nutella and cream cheese! :) Seriously though, this looks so delicious! Plus, the carrots make it semi-healthy haha.
Carrot cake has seriously never looked so good! Yummy!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Ohhhhh yes, yes, and more yes. I seriously knew there was a reason why I had so many carrots and ripe bananas left in my kitchen. Happy Friday, indeed!
Amazing photos in this post Jess!
everything you do/make just looks amazing. I love it!
That looks amazing! Definitely my kind of carrot cake. Love the addition of nutella :)
This cake looks amazing! I’d totally convince myself this is healthy because of the carrots, still getting those vegetables in. Don’t know how you’ve lived without Nutella!
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Carrot cake is my favourite so I really need to try this! It looks so yummy.
T x // http://www.noelbeauty411.com
I fully agree that skinny slice calories don’t count! Just a sliver to taste is a fully acceptable calorie-free way to enjoy cake! Bites to neaten up the edges also fall under this category, or eating fallen chunks and crumbs from the bottom of the tin.
This looks utterly delicious – that cream cheese Nutella frosting just looks heavenly. I am defiantly going to have to give that a try. Love the idea of bananas in the carrot cake too.
Jennie Scarletscorchdroppers
xx
Anything topped with cream cheese and nutella has to be amazing. This bread/cake looks soooo good! Can’t wait to try it!
This sounds amazing! I want to make this recipe this week but I’m not a fan of bananas. Any ideas for banana substitutions or tweaking the recipe to work without bananas? Thanks! I love reading your blog!
I love nutella and cream cheese swirled. I’ve only tried swirling them both on top of muffins BEFORE baking…yum! But, I’ve never tried it as a frosting AFTER baking…which, now that I think of it, would probably be a whole lot easier…and on top of carrot cake? Ugh, so, so good! Honestly, I love nutella swirled with cream cheese so much that I’m pretty sure that whatever’s under it is just serving as the delivery vehicle…although I also love carrot cake so much that I even love it unfrosted (gasp!)…. either way…this looks like a mouthful of yum…win! win!
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I LOVE Carrot cake!!! Will definitely try this? But 2 bananas? Kinda scared!!!
Does it taste banana-y at all?
This Carrot cake seems quite appetizing, I guess I can try it out
Your veg bread looks totally divine….I too, would be ‘snacking’ haha, no…I would be taking giant slices, and feel no guilt :-) Thanks for awesome recipes.
Yum. This looks delicious. Don’t know where you come up with these different combos. I would never have thought of pairing carrot cake with nutella. Love!
This looks absolutely delicious! I love carrotcake but it never crossed my mind to add a hint of nutella. Excited to try it out. If it’s as delcious as it looks, it’ll be amazing! :)
If this is trashy, then that’s the way I like it. Loving that swirly frosting on top and that you made the carrot cake with coconut in it!
Love.
Yum yum, these looks superb. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Yum! That frosting looks amazing!
Looks amazing! Any suggestions on where to find vanilla bean paste, or a good substitution?
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