Spiced Carrot and Walnut Bread

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 pound carrots, thickly sliced
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees and move the rack to the center position. Coat 2 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the carrots and cook them until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well, mash with a potato masher, and set aside to cool.
3. While the carrots cool, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them until they are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Cool them, then chop them coarsely.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and honey until the mixture turns pale yellow. Whisk in the canola oil and buttermilk. Add the mashed carrots and stir, then add the flour mixture and stir only until combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the walnuts.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the loaves are golden, feel springy when gently pressed, and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool the loaves in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove them to a rack and cool completely. Store any leftovers in a plastic zipper-lock bag in the refrigerator.