Moist Carrot Bread with Pineapple and Walnuts
Dense, tender carrot bread studded with crushed pineapple, raisins, and toasted walnuts. Warm spices from cinnamon create subtle depth without competing with the natural sweetness of carrots and brown sugar. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. This version skips grating fresh carrot's excess moisture by using finely shredded carrot, yielding reliably moist crumb. The pineapple juice keeps the bread tender through simple oil-based mixing.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cup packed brown sugargranulated sugar + molasses0.75c sugar + 2tbsp molassesrefined sugar
less molasses flavor
Full guide → - 3 whole eggs
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup canned chunk pineapple, drained
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 cup carrot, finely shredded
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350F.
- 2
Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan or four 3 inch by 6 inch mini loaf pans.
- 3
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.
- 4
Whisk together oil, brown sugar and eggs in a separate bowl, pour into flour mixture and stir well until chunky batter forms.
- 5
Stir in walnuts, drained pineapple, raisins and finely shredded carrot until combined.
- 6
Pour into prepared pan and bake 30-40 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake mini pans 20 minutes.
Tips
Ensure pineapple is fully drained before adding to avoid excess moisture; reserve juice for glazes if desired.
Don't overmix batter once flour is added or bread will be tough; chunky batter is correct.
Use mini loaf pans for portion control and faster baking; check at 20 minutes with a toothpick.
Good to Know
Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap or store in airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Prepare batter up to 2 hours ahead; cover bowl and refrigerate. Add 2-3 minutes to baking time if batter is cold.
Serve at room temperature or warm with butter and jam. Pairs with coffee, tea, or milk.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip draining pineapple thoroughly; excess liquid makes bread soggy.
Don't overmix after adding dry ingredients or you'll develop gluten and toughen crumb.
Don't use coarsely shredded carrots; finely shredded distributes evenly and hydrates batter properly.
Substitutions
Vegan Options
General Alternatives
less molasses flavor
Full guide →FAQ
Can I use fresh grated carrot instead of finely shredded?
Yes, but squeeze excess moisture from grated fresh carrot in a clean kitchen towel first. Excess liquid will make the bread dense and prevent even baking.
How long will the bread keep, and can I freeze it?
Wrapped tightly at room temperature, bread keeps 4 days; refrigerated, up to 1 week. Freeze wrapped bread up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, wrapped, 2-3 hours.
What if I want to make this in mini loaf pans?
Use four 3 by 6 inch mini loaf pans as noted. Bake 18-22 minutes instead of 30-40, checking at 18 minutes with a toothpick.