Move over, banana! This vibrantly-hued pecan-ginger carrot quick bread is the new darling for breakfast, snacking, and giving!
I know you're thinking, "But, Bridget...I HATE grating carrots!" Guys, even though this is carrot bread, you won't grate a single carrot.
(Although, grating carrots always seems to be worth it in the end: HELLO, carrot bundt cake with salted caramel cream cheese frosting, favorite classic carrot cake, and carrot cake cookies.)
It's made with carrot juice! The juice imparts flavor and the most gorgeous color!
It also gets a little color boost from just a bit of turmeric.
The bread is flavored with a double shot of ginger...both ground and crystallized ginger. The ginger adds just enough spice, but it's not heavy like gingerbread.
What is crystallized ginger?
Oh, just about one of my favorite things EVER. Fresh ginger is cut into pieces, cooked in a sugar syrup, then drained and tossed in sugar. It's a spicy and sweet treat that you can even eat out of hand. It's great in recipes and pairs especially well with pumpkin for fall baking!
Look for it in the "natural" section of the grocery store or in the bulk bins. You can also find crystallized ginger on Amazon.
Eat this bread warm from the oven with butter. Toast it for breakfast. Serve cold and slathered with cream cheese. Eat it plain. Just EAT IT! However you eat it, you're going to love it.
Do you think carrots are aware of how delicious they are?
Pecan-Ginger Carrot Quick Bread
{makes 2 loaves}
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pecan-Ginger Carrot Quick Bread
{makes 2 loaves}
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 cups carrot juice
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Grease two 8x4" loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, turmeric, and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and carrot juice together until well combined.
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 cups carrot juice
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Grease two 8x4" loaf pans. Preheat oven to 350.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, turmeric, and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and carrot juice together until well combined.
Add in the flour mixture, whisking again, just until incorporated. Fold in the chopped crystallized ginger and pecans.
Divide into the prepared pans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife along the sides of the pans and invert to remove from the pans. Continue to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Divide into the prepared pans and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife along the sides of the pans and invert to remove from the pans. Continue to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
{Adapted from the now-defunct (sad face) Everyday Food, 2004}
Carrot bread. You need some in your life. (Sorry, banana.)
