Recipes | Breads, Muffins & Biscuits

Low FODMAP Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread

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Let’s Make Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread

The Beginning of a Beautiful Relationship – This Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread has a history. Way back when I was in college a roommate’s girlfriend was visiting and brought an unassuming looking loaf as a treat. It made a huge impact on me and I have never forgotten it.

Sure, we’ve all had banana bread and carrot cake, but a combo? With poppy seeds and coconut thrown in for good measure? This was a revelation.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread slices on a white rectangular dish

Actually I am not positive that the original had coconut but it was definitely a mash-up of banana/carrot/poppy seed and I had never ever had those ingredients all rolled up into one baked good before. In my effort to recreate this beauty I decided, hey, why not throw some coconut in there, just in case!

And some raisins and spices.

The result is not only incredibly flavorful but it is also really moist and keeps well. We like it for breakfast with a schmear of peanut butter.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread closeup

We Love Buying in Bulk

Poppy seeds might not be a regular pantry item for you. They are often available in the spice aisle in tiny jars and while you typically do not need much, so the amount seems right, the sticker shock might make you pause.

There are mail-order sources that are more economical and we also encourage you to seek out purchasing them in bulk. This way you can just buy what you want and the stash will be fresh.

And while you are at it – check out what other low FODMAP ingredients you can stock up on in bulk: rice, oats, popcorn and other grains, to name a few.

Using the Right Coconut Shred

For this Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread you do need unsweetened coconut, as this loaf is plenty sweet enough. The shredded coconut in the supermarket baking aisle is sweetened. Look in the natural foods aisle or if you have a supermarket that offers bulk, look for it there while you are seeking out the poppy seeds.

For the image we used wide coconut flakes, sometimes called chips. Long shred would work too. What won’t work is “grated” or “desiccated” coconut. Look for those terms on labels. That kind of coconut is very fine and won’t provide the same visuals as seen above or the final texture that is most desirable.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread in pan

Use the Right Pan

I like using an 8-inch by 4-inch (20 cm by 10 cm) loaf pan, instead of the more common 9-inch by 5-inch (23 cm by 12 cm), because this smaller one creates a squarer, taller loaf. I am particularly fond of my Vollrath 5436 Loaf Pan, sometimes labeled as a Wearever brand.

You can also use this loaf pan– which will have slightly slanted sides but holds the same amount of batter. You can see in the images showing slices how nice and square the bread looks.

In the image above you can see how I recommend the parchment lining, to help you unmold the bread easily, with perfect results. Below you can see how the parchment overhang helped to unmold the bread. You peel it away to cool the bread thoroughly.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread parchment peeled away

Speaking of Cooling…

Cooling your Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread properly is very important and affects the texture of the loaf. After peeling away the parchment, place the loaf on a cooling rack until it is cool to the touch. Never wrap a warm loaf! We like slicing into this loaf after a rest at room temperature overnight.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread whole loaf cooling

Can you believe that this is low FODMAP with all of these incredibly yummy, flavorful ingredients? Amazing, right? Just try one slice at a time and see how you do. This recipe doubles easily; why not make two and freeze one or bring one to a bake sale.

But make sure to save one for yourself. This might be your new favorite quick bread.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread vertical Main

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4.5 from 4 votes

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread

This incredibly moist loaf is like a combo of banana bread and carrot cake!

Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 1 loaf; 14 slices; serving size 1 slice

Makes: 14 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Author: Dédé Wilson

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Position rack in the center of your oven. Preheat to 325° F/165°C. Coat the insides of a 8-inch by 4-inch (20 cm x 10 cm) loaf pan with non stick spray, line with parchment along the bottom creating overhang on the short sides, then coat the paper as well.
  2. Whisk the gluten-free flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Whisk the oil, sugar and brown sugar together in a medium-sized bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then whisk in banana, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and whisk gently until a few floury streaks remain. Add the grated carrots, coconut, nuts, raisins and poppy seeds and fold into the batter gently but thoroughly.
  4. Scrape batter into loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes minutes. A toothpick should just test clean when inserted in center of the loaf, the top will rise and be a deep golden brown and possibly crack. The edges will also just be pulling away from the sides of the pan.
  5. Cool pan on rack for 15 minutes, then use the overhang of parchment to gently remove the loaf from the pan, pull away the parchment and cool the loaf completely on the rack. This bread slices and tastes best after an overnight rest. Once completely cooled double wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Bread will keep for about 3 days wrapped well at room temperature or a few days longer if refrigerated. You can also freeze the loaf in which case, double wrap with plastic wrap and then slip into a heavy zip top bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

Notes:

Tips

  • You can make this in a standard 9-inch by 5-inch (23 cm x 12 cm) loaf pan but the shape will not be as square; it will be squatter. Also check for doneness earlier, but use the same visual cues.

If You Can Tolerate

  • Fructans: If you have passed the fructan wheat Challenge you can substitute unbleached all-purpose flour for the Bob’s. Use the weight for best equivalent and substitution. Note that the loaf will no longer be gluten-free.
Course: bread
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.2mg

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.

Poppy Seed Carrot Banana Bread whole loaf cooling vertical