Banana Carrot Cake With Streusel Topping & Powdered Sugar Glaze

One can never have enough recipes that help use up over-ripe bananas. Unless you are into eating over-ripe bananas (yuck for me). You could use it in an ice cream shake or milkshake or the ubiquitous banana bread. I have posted a lovely version that uses peanut butter.

I am a safe baker. Which means I vet my recipe thoroughly, carefully measure out the ingredients, add them in the order specified, and watch it like a hawk while baking. The only thing I do is try a bunch of recipes before I hit the jackpot. I have tried more than half a dozen chocolate cake recipes to find the perfect one. And I just now realized, I have never blogged about it. Will do soon!

The only thing I get creative with, is reducing the sugar in the recipe once in a while, and also when making an apple or pear crisp/crumble. Because a crumble topping is one of the most forgiving things you can bake.

I knew it was high time I tried my hand at developing a baking recipe on my own. Hence this banana carrot cake, mainly because I had to use up those bananas (before they became a health hazard) and half a packet of baby carrots. Mind you, it is not a novel combination. But the cake was sort of developed on-the-go.

You can just make the cake as is for a kind-of-healthy treat or you can go all out and top it with a brown sugar and chocolate streusel topping and a powdered sugar glaze. I highly recommend you do so!

You will need:

For the cake

• Egg – 1, large
• Brown sugar – 1/2 cup, tightly packed
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
• Bananas – 1 cup, mashed (around 2 bananas)
• Carrots – 1/2 cup, grated and tightly packed
• All purpose flour – 1 1/2 cups
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Milk – a few tablespoons (only if you feel the batter is too thick, I had to use 1-2 tablespoons)

For the streusel topping (I used a scant streusel topping on my cake. Please double or even triple the ingredients for a richer topping)

• Brown sugar – 2 tbsp
• Chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bar – 2 tbsp

For the simple powdered sugar glaze

• Powdered sugar – 1/4 cup
• Milk – 1-2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract – 1/4 tsp

How to:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg.F and grease an 8×8 baking pan. I originally intended to make a dozen muffins, but the batter was not quite enough, so I went with a small cake instead.
• Cream the egg and brown sugar for a minute.
• Add the vanilla extract and oil and mix well.
• Add the bananas and carrots and mix well.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix till just combined. Do not over-mix. You can ditch the mixer and just use a spatula. Add a little milk if the batter seems too thick. But the batter should be thick like that of banana bread.
• Mix the streusel topping ingredients, lightly crushing the chocolate.
• Spread the batter in the baking pan and top with the streusel mix.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes in the middle rack, till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs sticking to it.
• Cool in the pan for a while, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze by dissolving the sugar in milk and vanilla extract.
• Top the cake with this glaze and enjoy!

This cake is obviously not a looker, but is surely a keeper! It was utterly moist and delicious. You can skip the streusel topping and glaze and instead frost the cake with a lovely cream cheese or light whipped cream frosting.

Take a look at my Cakes & Cupcakes section for more cake recipes.

If you like what you see, please follow my blog via Email (button on the right), Pinterest or Bloglovin’, or maybe even all three!!!

I am linking this up at these awesome blogs.

• C.R.A.F.T
• A Blossoming Life
• Skip To My Lou
• The Dedicated House
• Between Naps on the Porch
• Better With Age
• Colours Dekor
• Home Stories A To Z
• My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
• A Stroll Thru Life
• Cedar Hill Ranch
• Coastal Charm
• Elizabeth & Co
• House On The Way
• VMG206
• Savvy Southern Style
• The NY Melrose Family
• Not Just A Housewife
• 52 Mantels
• Domestic Superhero
• Living Well Spending Less
• Reasons To Skip The Housework
• Design Dining and Diapers
• The Shabby Nest
• French Country Cottage
• Common Ground
• Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
• My Romantic Home
• The Charm of Home
• Thirty Handmade Days
• Crafts a la Mode
• Love of Family and Home
• Tatertots and Jello
• Its Overflowing
• DIY Show Off
• Three Mango Seeds
• Nifty Thrifty Things
• By Stephanie Lynn

• Jam Hands
• Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
• This Gal Cooks
• Two Cup Tuesday
• Home To 4 Kiddos
• Sarah Lynn’s Sweets
• Anyonita Nibbles
• Kitchen Meets Girl
• Recipes For My Boys