Carrot Banana Bread With Maple Yogurt Frosting

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting...that's almost as American as apple pie. I've certainly made and ate my share of this classic dessert. Of course, as classic dessert goes, it is the furthest thing from healthy eating despite the misleading promise of carrots. Well, no more!

This carrot banana bread with maple yogurt frosting has the same flavour profile as you would expect from the traditional rendition but made much healthier in more ways than one. First, in lieu of sugar (refined or not), it is sweetened with grated carrots, mashed bananas, and dried date puree. For some whole grain goodness, old-fashioned rolled oats takes a trip to the food processor for transformation to oat flour. Cream cheese? Who needs cream cheese when you have strained greek-style yogurt thick enough to stand a spoon? Oh and who can resist maple syrup and walnuts to put this treat over the top?

Yes, it is a treat. Close your eyes, take a bite, and go "Mmmm....". All that healthy mumble jumble? Just icing on the cake.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cup mashed banana, about 3 medium size
• 1/2 cup honey dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup greek-style strained yogurt (see below)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cup grated carrots, about 3 medium size

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan, set aside.
2. Toast walnuts in oven until fragrant, about 6-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. In a food processor, whirl the rolled oats until finely grind. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the remaining dry ingredients including all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
4. If you have not grated your carrots, you can use your food processor to grate them now and empty into another bowl.
5. Puree the bananas in the food processor and measure out 1 1/4 cup.
6. Add the honey dates into the food processor along with the bananas and process until smooth.
7. Empty the fruit puree into a mixing bowl and whisk in yogurt. Stir until incorporated. Add eggs and stir until incorporated. Stir in melted butter too. Lastly, stir in grated carrots.
8. Pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gentle fold the ingredients until just combined. Do not overwork the batter! Fold in walnuts.
9. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 60-75 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
10. Cool in pan for about 20 minutes before unmolding. The cake can be quite fragile so be careful with it. Cool on wire rack right side up and cut into slices only when it is completely cooled.
11. Serve with a generous spread of maple yogurt frosting. Don't be shy!

Maple Yogurt Frosting

For those who are lucky enough to have easy access to strained greek-style yogurt, I envy you. (Hello Fage!) Boohoo to me, I need to drive at least 30 minutes and pay premium price at a gourmet grocer to get mine. Great selection and a lovely place to shop, mind you. But fair to say it is not the most convenient errand.

After partaking the cheesemaking workshop at The Stop, I finally got my act together and made my own strained yogurt at home. It is the easiest thing ever. Makes me wonder why I did not do this sooner.

Set a clean lint-free handkerchief over a mesh strainer on top of a mixing bowl. Empty a tub of non-fat regular yogurt into the handkerchief and knot the corners into a little bundle. Slide a wooden spoon under the knot and balance the whole parcel over a jug to catch the whey. Leave it in the refridgerator overnight (I prefer 24 hours) and you'll have thick creamy strained greek-style yogurt the next morning! Store the yogurt in a clean plastic container and you're all set. I like to use it in place of creme fraiche, sour cream, or cream cheese. Shhh, nobody needs to know it is non-fat and high in protein!

As for the whey, don't pour it down the drain. It is great for making borscht which I'll write about in the next post.

This is really the easiest frosting ever. The key lies in using really well-strained yogurt that is thick enough to take in some maple syrup without turning too thin. Basically, take a dollop of strained greek-style yogurt, pour on some maple syrup to taste, stir together, and spread away! Of course, you can eat it as is too...I wouldn't tell anyone.

Pour away!