This Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread recipe is incredibly moist and flavorful! Vibrant colors from the carrot, apple, and zucchini makes this quick bread irresistible! Sure to be a new favorite! Love zucchini? Try these Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Cookies and Zucchini Spice Cake!
Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread
I took two loaves of this Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread to the swim meet yesterday – TWO – and there isn’t a crumb left today. I had to pry the container from Bryce’s little hands right before swimming the fly because he was chowing down on this bread like it was cheat day. Reece also took first place in the 25 free so I’m thinking this bread might have magical properties….
I’ll admit, the bread is pretty irresistible. It’s so pretty to look at and the flavor backs it up.
During the summer months, I make several zucchini recipes a week. Have to use up those garden zucchinis somehow! We enjoy all sorts of zucchini goodness like this amazing Chocolate Zucchini Cake that only tastes indulgent and these Baked Zucchini Fries that the boys love dipping in ranch, or this super easy Lemon Zucchini Cake that is so bright and fresh that it’s impossible to resist.
But one recipe that we make ALL.THE.TIME is this Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread. It’s quite possibly the best quick bread recipe ever and a personal favorite of mine. The bread gets it’s moistness and incredible flavor from the carrots, apples, and zucchini. The bread is very light and airy, not dense at all.
The combination of carrots, apple and zucchini is really something special. The carrots and zucchini are really interchangeable so if you’d like to use more of one than the other, no problem. You could, in fact, eliminate one entirely if you wish.
I also like to use pecans in this recipe but walnuts would be great too. I mean, just LOOK at this beautiful bowl of goodness! So bright and flavorful!
The frosting on this bread is really simple but spectacular at the same time. I have left it off many times because honestly, the bread doesn’t need it. That being said, it not only makes the bread look extra special, it adds a bit of sweetness that makes it extra appealing to everybody who tries it.
What You’ll Need to Make Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread
- Loaf pans – I used (2) 8 x 4 inch loaf pans. This is my favorite loaf pan size because it’s just the right amount for our family. I love this recipe because it actually makes TWO loaves so if I don’t want to freeze the second loaf, I can just give it to a friend.
- The worst thing that can happen when you bake bread is after it’s done baking, you flip the pan over…. and the bread doesn’t slide out. It’s super important to grease and flour the loaf pans or cheat, like I do, and use a baking spray that has flour in it like this one does.
- The basics: a good whisk, mixing bowls, cooling rack, and a box grater for the zucchini and carrots.
Basically what we have here is a must-make summer recipe. But don’t let this recipe sit on the sidelines during the rest of the year! We enjoy it all year round! I hope you give this easy zucchini bread recipe a try and please, let me know what you think in the comments below. Enjoy!
More Zucchini Recipes To Try
- Zucchini Banana Cake
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Lemon Zucchini Cake
- Zucchini Quiche with Bacon and Hash Brown Crust
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
How To Make Zucchini Bread
Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup diced peeled apple (Granny Smith, Fuji, whatever you have on hand)
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Cream Cheese Glaze/Frosting
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-3 tbsp orange juice as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans. Line with parchment paper and set aside. (I use the baking spray with flour in it.)
- Place zucchini in a large kitchen towel. Bring up the four corners and twist. Squeeze the towel to extract all the liquid from the zucchini, or as much as you can. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.
- Add eggs, orange juice, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients along with the shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, apples, and pecans.
- Pour into prepared pans.
- Bake until golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed with fingers.
- Let cool completely before icing.
Cream Cheese Glaze/Frosting
- Cream together cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer.
- Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and continue mixing. Drizzle in orange juice until desired consistency is achieved.
- Frost bread and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
recipe originally appeared on Mom On Timeout on July 5, 2013
Denise says
My husband found this on Facebook. Had him share it so we could try it. He said it was the best I have made and it was moist. I did use two cups of zucchini and one cup of carrots.
MKumar says
This is my go to recipe; everyone loved it. Although i put less sugar 1 cup instead of 2 because the apples I used are very sweet (honey crisps); turns out just fine, perfect with my cup of hot coffee.
Kas says
Thanks for a yummy recipe to use apple, zucchini & carrots together!
I altered it to suit our family’s dietary preferences and needs:
I cut the sugar to about 1 1/2 cups.
In order to use less butter, I substituted avocado oil for 1/2 of the butter.
To make wheat free, I used gluten-free 1-to-1 flour substitute.
Turned out great!
Lauralee says
This is so good!! Besides cutting the sugar a bit, omitting the frosting and and adding a little more zucchini and carrots, I followed your recipe completely. It’s wonderful! I doubled the recipe, making 5 loaves, but I doubt they will last anytime around here! Thank you!
Marilyn Cahill says
Has anyone ever tried it with less sugar?
Maureen L DeLosa says
Just made this for the first time, I absolutely love it. It is so good, it didn’t need the icing (although I am sure it’s delicious that way). I just didn’t want all that extra sugar. Thank you for sharing, this one’s a definate keeper! I think adding raisins would be great too!
Mary says
Love this. I reversed the amounts for the zucchini and carrots, I used Splenda instead of sugar because I don’t need my blood sugar going crazy and I skipped the icing. It tastes great. My grandson loves it too.
Janice says
Awesome. How much Splenda did you use?
Jeffrey A Knapp says
You got me hooked ! How can you go wrong with fruit and vegtables. Now to get the butter! Thanks !
Alice Medin says
This is the BEST zucchini bread ever!! We grow our own zucchini and have made this recipe many times. It is my husbands daily morning breakfast (with eggs, cereal, or alone!! Plus well liked by my neighbors as a thank you gift!!!
Cathyjc says
Thought it was awesome. Passed some onto family who also loved it. I liked adding the carrots and apple
Bernadette says
This bread was sooo good. Will definitely make again. Thanks so much.
Mag duvall says
Great recipe very moist !
Isabel A.Heath says
Love your recipes…easy…yummy