Zucchini Carrot Bread — Fast, easy, one bowl, no mixer!! Super soft, moist, and tastes so good you’ll forget it’s on the healthier side!!
Zucchini Carrot Bread Recipe
I love carrot cake. I’ve made so many versions including carrot cake cookies, a loaf cake, cupcakes, no-bake bites, carrot cake bars, and carrot apple bread. And I’ve got lots of zucchini-banana recipes.
But no carrot-zucchini recipes. I was definitely overdue to merge carrots and zucchini into one easy and amazing loaf.
I loved this moist zucchini bread recipe so much. It’s so soft, tender, uber-moist, dense enough to be satisfying, but still light. It’s just sweet enough to taste like a dessert and not like you’re eating vegetables. But you are, so feel free to have seconds.
I adapted my Carrot Apple Bread recipe and it’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. I used liquid-state coconut oil so there’s no butter to cream and no mixer to dirty. Oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter, and I prefer it.
Baking with carrots and zucchini not only adds chewy texture, but so much moisture is imparted that it’s impossible to have a dry loaf. I grated the carrots and zucchini by hand using the coarsest blade on a box grater. It only takes a few minutes and I’d spend much more time washing food processor parts than doing it the old-fashioned way.
The zucchini-carrot cake bread was so flavorful and moist that I didn’t even need butter. Although a browned butter or cream cheese glaze can never hurt.
What’s in Zucchini Carrot Bread?
To make this fun spin on traditional homemade zucchini bread, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Coconut oil
- Granulated sugar
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Grated carrots
- Grated zucchini
- Walnuts, raisins, etc. (optional)
How to Make Zucchini Carrot Bread
Simply stir together the sugars, cinnamon, and wet ingredients, then gently mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated carrots and zucchini, then pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Bake the zucchini carrot bread until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
How to Store Zucchini Carrot Bread
Homemade zucchini bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips for Making Zucchini Carrot Bread
Coconut oil adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but substitute with them if you’d like.
I omitted the usual carrot cake mix-ins, but you’re welcome to add chopped walnuts and/or raisins to your zucchini-carrot cake bread if desired.
Note that you may need to tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped loosely over it at the 35 minute-mark to prevent top and sides of the bread from becoming overly browned before center cooks through.
This is one of my favorite breads to make in the spring of the year during Easter season as well as during the later summer months during zucchini season.
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Carrot Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- â…“ cup liquid-state coconut oil, canola or vegetable may be substituted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cup sour cream, lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 cup grated carrots, laid loosely in cup and not packed (about 1 large/2 medium peeled and trimmed carrots)
- 1 cup grated zucchini, laid loosely in cup and not packed(about 1 medium/large trimmed zucchini)
- ½ cup walnuts, raisins, etc., optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. Note – Loaf is not very tall as baked in a 9×5 pan, but I fear an 8×4 pan will be a bit too skimpy.
- In a large bowl, add the the egg, brown sugar, oil, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Add the carrots, zucchini, optional walnuts or raisins, and fold gently to combine.
- Turn batter out into the prepared pan (it’s quite thick, this is what you want), smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 52 to 58 minutes (I baked 54 minutes) or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Tip – Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped loosely over it at the 35 minute-mark to prevent top and sides from becoming overly browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of carrots, zucchini, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock and don’t worry if it takes longer to bake than the baking estimates provided.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Optionally, serve with or glaze with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze, or Cream Cheese Glaze. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Adapted from Carrot Apple Bread
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Zucchini Recipes:
Zucchini Bread Recipe — Super moist, tender, loaded with chocolate chips, and so EASY to make!! One bowl, no mixer, and THE BEST zucchini bread you’ll ever try!!
Blueberry Zucchini Bread— This blueberry zucchini bread is a quick, no-mixer recipe that’s sweet, but not too sweet. Each bite is bursting with fresh blueberries!
Zucchini Banana Bread — This Zucchini Banana Bread is so soft, tender, uber-moist, dense enough to be satisfying, but still light! It’s just sweet enough to taste like a dessert and not like you’re eating vegetables.
Blueberry Banana Zucchini Bread — This is an easy zucchini bread recipe that’s packed with bananas and juicy blueberries. I guarantee this will be your new favorite quick bread!
Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins — These muffins are incredibly chocolatey without being too sweet. They’re studded with mini chocolate chips and packed with grated zucchini. Warning: these are addicting!
Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins — You’ll never complain about eating your vegetables again! Soft, healthy, so good!
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake — This cake is supremely moist, soft, and fluffy! Chocolate chips are woven throughout the cake and chocolate ganache is poured over the top.
Originally posted March 20, 2015 and republished July 31, 2020 with updated text.
Hi Averie!
I was wondering if you really only use 1 cup of flour in this recipe? Just wanted to check as it does not seem like enough even though I know you have tested the recipe! I made your browned butter vanilla glaze banana bread recipe with the pudding mix! It was awesome! However, I noticed that recipe had double the flour but only half a cup more banana. So just wanted to check in. I think I might try this recipe out tomorrow!
Made your banana yogurt muffin recipe today and it was awesome!!! Me and my dad already ate half the loaf :O
Yes 1 cup is correct. When baking with fruits/veggies it’s always smart to go with your gut if you think the batter looks particularly wet/dry to add a bit more/less flour than the recipe may indicate because no two zucchini are alike with how they’re grated, how much water they release, etc. but yes 1 cup is correct and what works for me here.
You can’t always compare recipes side by side, i.e. the banana bread you made and this one, because the textures are different, the ingredients are different, etc. Glad you enjoyed that bread and hope you enjoy this one also!
I wanted to thank-you for the Carrot Zucchini Bread Recipe. I added a 1/4 cup of oatmeal & 1/4 cup of coconut to your recipe. Â My loaf pan was already being used so I decided to bake the batter in a 8 x 8 pan (convection 325 for 35 minutes). Â It had hardly cooled before I was testing it. Â Amazing & moist.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with the addition of oatmeal and coconut and that it worked great in an 8×8 pan!
Do you think this would translate well into muffin form? For some reason, my family eats muffins way more than they will eat a slice of bread.Â
Probably will be fine as muffins but I haven’t tried it so can’t say for sure, but I think you’ll be safe.
I decided to make this with only zucchini and the bake time was well over an hour. I even wrang out all the excess juicy after grading the zucchini. Tastes delish though. Have you ever tried making muffins instead of a loaf with this recipe?Â
I haven’t made zucchini muffins with this recipe but it would probably be fine. Yes, anytime you bake with zucchini it seems to give off SO much moisture and the baking time can really seem to take awhile especially when you omitted the carrots and just went with zucchini. Glad it tastes delish!
I send bake goods with my husband to work on Mondays, because I love to bake on Sundays. Someone from the office emailed him and said ” your wife should open her own bake shop” I sent with him the zucchini carrot bread. Thanks for making me look so good!!!!
Sue
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it was good enough for people to start saying you should open a bakery :)
As usual, Averie, another winning recipe. I absolutely ADORE this bread. It is so moist and delicious AND healthy. I could eat the entire loaf. I made it for my Easter brunch and everyone loved it — even the zucchini haters who insisted they would not like it. Fabulous. Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And I’m glad it made a lover out of those so-called zucchini haters :)
Yummy! Â I just made this and could barely contain myself waiting for it to cool a bit. I will be making more to freeze to enjoy during our hot Texas summers when no sane person turns an oven on! BTW, I tried it in an 8 x 4 loaf pan and it was perfect in about 50 minutes. Now I’m gonna go grab another slice!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love this bread so much, too!
That carrot quick bread looks great and it’s perfect for Easter!
Thanks for saying hi today, Kevin! Long time, no talk, and it’s awesome to hear from you :)
Carrot and zucchini together are interesting choices for bread. They look perfect. Thanks.
This bread just looks crazy moist and perfect for breakfast before work! I can’t wait to bake this and then eat it all week. Plus, I won’t feel guilty since I’m totally getting my daily dose of veggies with this right! Even if I do add on the cream cheese frosting ;)
I’m in a hotel room starving right now….wish I could dive into this!
I read that on your FB status update or something, a quick trip to the big apple. Hope it went well and that you cured your cravings…I am the WORST in hotel rooms. All of a sudden everything in the overpriced mini bar looks amazing.
This would be my favorite way to eat my veggies! Or, umm, the only way I eat my veggies on run days… It’s all about the carbo-loading, right?? ;)
What a interesting combination…makes perfect sense. It looks delicious. Sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth but not quite dessert. Â Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and all the nice comments today!e
That looks like such an incredible loaf. Â I rarely think that about bread, too. Â Loving the relatively low sugar content! Â
You may not have quite the garden this summer as you always have but if you find yourself with spare zucchini, THIS is the bread to make. Love love love this. Like I hoarded it and I rarely do that with things anymore :)
Averie, you’ve totally done it again! This bread looks killer. I am a huge sucker for carrot cake and zucchini bread!
This looks great! Â Kind of like carrot cake and zucchini bread all combined into one! Â Can’t wait for summer when the garden zucchinis are in abundance!