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
Martha Smith says
I am hoping this recipe comes out good, I FINALLY just got the loaves in the oven! I am assuming all the shredded carrots ect and apples and carrots are store bought already prepared, because it took me a little over an hour to get everything prepped! And I am a seasoned ( pun intended cook) granted I am in my daughter inlaws kitchen, so there was a little extra bit of hunting, but I set everything out ahead of the actual prepping, and I can tell you it takes ALOT longer than 10 minutes to get it all mixed and into the pans!!! It looks great so far! Fingers crossed!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Lol! Maybe I’m just fast? It honestly takes me less than 10 minutes to prep for this bread. And I’m shredding and peeling everything on my own 🙂 Trust me, the bread WILL be worth your effort. And you get two loaves!
IrisH says
Food processor is good for shredding.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
It sure is!
Marge Herd says
Unable to print- please email the recipe. Looks great!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Just click the print button, a new window will open up. If the print box does not pop up, just right-click and select print. If you don’t have a printer, just copy and past the text. Hope that helps!
Sabrina B says
wonderful photographs! Love this recipe, great idea to add apple and zucchini! Have always had each (except apple) on their own in bread, so why not put them in one? Love it!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Sabrina!
Karen says
Can you please tell me what I could substitute for the orange juice. I can’t have any juices. This looks delicious.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can always substitute in water or milk.
Gail Plaskiewicz says
My mom loves stuff like this and I know my sisters will too. I am going to buy what I need and make this soon. We even have a coupon to get free Orange Juice and that’s always a plus in my book. It has pecans in it which is good for my sister who suddenly can’t eat walnuts at age 60. I am hoping everyone likes it!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Enjoy Gail!
Rebecca says
Have you tried freezing this? Wondering how it would be as muffins and frozen.
Carole says
Rebecca, I made this today. Made 3 loaves and 24 mini muffins! Oh I made 2 batches. The muffins are great. Going to freeze 2 loaves! I freeze zucchini bread all the time. It’s fine.
Bel says
How long did you cook and what temperature did you cook it at if using mini muffin tins?
Nancy says
Just baked this. Bread is dense and feels oily to the touch. Will try 3/4-1 cup of oil rather than butter next time if I try it again.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh Nancy – I think I would check the ingredients list again. This bread is actually very light, not dense at all and shouldn’t be the slightest bit oily. If you do make it again, let me know hot it turns out.
KMP says
Made these tonight & they were delicious!! Absolute hit!! Thank you for the awesome recipe! Our garden has yielded HUGE zucchinis! Making the zucchini & green chili quiches next!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh those quiches are INCREDIBLE! So glad you enjoyed the bread!
Sandy says
Can you substitute applesauce instead of sugar?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Not for the sugar but you could use it in place of some of the butter maybe and cut back on the sugar? If I was going to try it, and I haven’t, I would cut the butter to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup applesauce. You could cut the sugar back to 1 cup.
Let me know how it works out if you try it!
Şişli Klima Servisi says
It looks delicious.
Carole from Carole's Chatter says
Hi Trish, this would fit perfectly in Food on Friday: July under the apple & zucchini themes. Hope you bring it on over. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
Kathleen Parisotto says
Looks amazing – I have to try it – have you ever used coconut oil and butter half and half? Do you think I could make in a 9×13 so there is more frosting per piece? (also, I don’t have two bread pans.) Thanks, Trish!
Jeanne says
More frosting per piece! Love it..that would be me!
Eva says
Is the calories per serving listed? Maybe I missed it.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Nope, you didn’t miss it 🙂
Brenda says
I did the calculations–311 calories per serving Looks amazing.
Juliana says
Well that contains more calories then I eat in one meal and how big is that slice? ???? it is currently in the oven and I am anxiously awaiting the finished product.
Allyson says
Do you know what the calories are without the icing?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I sure don’t but I would google “nutritional calculator” and pop in the ingredients to find out. Hope that helps!
Paige Flamm says
This bread looks amazing! I need it in my life!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Sue says
I am guessing that the AP flour is 3 1/4 “cups”, but it is not indicated in the recipe. Just fyi.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you for catching that Sue!
Mel says
Can apple sauce and/or honey be substituted for the sugar and if so, then how much ? This would be helpful for diabetics like myself !
Thank you !
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Hi Mel! I use applesauce all the time as a substitute for oil. You could definitely cut down on the butter and sugar with an applesauce substitution. Equal amounts is how I’ve always like to substitute. So if you add a cup of applesauce, you could get rid of 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar. I would try it once like that and if you’re still happy with the texture/flavor, cut back even further on the sugar. Hope that helps!
Jane says
1st time I made this I cut out half the sugar without changing anything else and everyone loved it. Second time I used about 3/4 cup of loose brown sugar. Fantastic.
Making them again today and intend to go with only a half cup of sugar.