I was thinking about Carrot Cake the other day. It sounded really good. I love the flavor and texture created by combination of carrots, pineapple, coconut, pecans and perhaps some raisins. But then I thought when would I ever make it? Maybe for someone's birthday. Perhaps for Easter. So basically the answer was not anytime soon.
A few days later I was in my kitchen thinking about making bread. It was Saturday and I often bake some quick sourdough sweet bread in mini loaf pans on Saturday. We enjoy the treat and I justify it by sending a loaf home with my parents or mother-in-law. Or you. If you stopped by on a Saturday, I just might send a loaf home with you. Sometimes I make Apple-Oatmeal Loaves. Sometimes its Banana Bread. Around Christmas it might be Cranberry-Orange Bread. But on this particular Saturday there were no bananas on the counter turning brown and needing to be used. Alas, no apples in the refrigerator either. And of course no cranberries since the holidays are long over. But there were carrots in the bottom drawer and I remembered my recent craving for carrot cake. And that is how this Carrot Bread came to be.
Carrot Bread
(with the flavors of Carrot Cake)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sourdough
1/2 cup pineapple juice (drained from canned pineapple)
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup coconut
1 cup raisins, optional
1 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl cream together sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sourdough and pineapple juice. Stir in carrots, pineapple, coconut and raisins, if using. If desired you could mix in the pecans too, but I usually sprinkle them on top of the bread.
Prepare loaf pans by spraying with a cooking oil spray. You could use two regular size loaf pans but I almost always use 3-4 of my mini loaf pans. Fill pans 2/3 full with dough. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake large pans for 60 minutes, minis for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and tested done. Sizes of mini-pans vary so watch closely so you don't over bake. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Many people feel that flavor of carrot bread improves by wrapping and storing for several hours before serving. I usually don't wait that long. However, if you need to prepare ahead of time, its good to know that its only going to get better with time. We're talking hours or a day perhaps, not weeks or months!
Very tasty! Every bite reminds you of the deliciousness of carrot cake.
If you would like to print this recipe, you may want to try this link: Carrot Bread printable recipe.
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