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
Karen Manasco says
Two loaves of this bread just came out of the oven.
After they cool, one wil go into the freezer, and one is for now.
The house smells fabulous!
I was a bit concerned that two cups of carrots might be a bit overboard, but
that is not the case. The loaves looked just as pictured.
I’m a bit fussy, so I cut back on the sugar to 1 1/2 cups instead of two, and
other than omitting the icing, made it as posted.
This recipe proved to be a keeper, as it was delicious straight out of the oven. That is always a tip that it will be even better the next day, especially when cut into slices and popped into the toaster oven for a few minutes. Absolutely one that goes well with coffee, or even milk.
Thank you!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much for your review Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe – we love it!
Jacquelyn Varnum says
Made this yesterday. It is fantastic! Can’t leave it alone. I grated the carrots, apple and zucchini with my food processer. Little more clean up but less work. May try adding a little pineapple as per someones comment. Just cause I love pineapple, but it isn’t necessary. Lots of flavor in this as is. I made the frosting with lemon juice cause thats all I had. Very good. This is a KEEPER. Thanks Trish.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You are so welcome! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Shannon says
I’ve been going through several zucchini recipes to use up the garden zucchini and this recipe is by far the BEST!!!! So delicious!! I make one loaf and made the rest of the batter into muffins.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
That’s so awesome to hear Shannon! Thank you so much!
Ana B says
This is delicious!!! Only thing I did different was add small drained container of crushed pineapple. Thanks for such a delicious treat!!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Ooooh! Love that addition Ana! Thank you!
Gigi says
Hi, can this be made in advance? Thinking of prepping all the ingredient at night and putting it in the oven in the morning.
Marsha says
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter in the bread??thank you
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
I haven’t tried it with coconut oil but since it generally works as a substitute, I would think it would be okay. Please, let me know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Sheila says
I love it, my family loves it. Thanks!
Jen says
How do I get my frosting firmer, like it is in the picture.? Mine turned out more like a glaze.
Jen says
Turned out delicious, but prep time was over an hour. My consistency was too moist, more like cake than bread. How can I fix that?
Cathy says
Made this last night- subbed applesauce for all the butter and only used 1 cup of sugar- used gluten free flour (bobs red milk mix) so moist and so delicious- a definite keeper
Marsha says
So it was good with apple sauce instead of Butter? How much applesauce?
Deb says
General rule of thumb is a 1 for 1 substitution. I’m making it today and intend to use 2 Tbsps. of butter and all the rest as unsweetened applesauce.
DeerPark Momma says
This is at the top of my all-time favorite recipes list! I made the recipe as it is written, no changes. However, I did not make any frosting- it’s already very sweet. My husband actually liked it with butter!
I will be making this often and giving it for gifts. Thanks for a great recipe!
Donna says
I made this today, with some minor changes, and it came out fabulously, it looks just like the picture. It’s delicious! Because I have high cholesterol I switched the cup of butter for 3/4 cup veg oil. And with all the sugar, both added and what is naturally in the apples and carrots I didn’t use the icing, even though it sounds very tempting. Next time I will cut the amount of sugar, too, maybe 1 cup white and 1/4 brown. The only thing I questioned was the use of 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. I changed that to 1 teaspoon and there was plenty of cinnamon flavor. Maybe that’s why one bakers remarked on how dark the bread was? This is a keeper!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Love that you made this recipe work for you Donna! And you’re right about the cinnamon – just 1 teaspoon – thank you!
Judy says
While the taste is great, the bread crumbles a bit too much for my family’s taste. Any suggestions to improve this?
Eddie says
yummy yummy.
Darlene Witmier says
Hi Trish. Just prepped ingredients for the Carrot Apple Zucchini bread. Just realized that both of my loaf pans are measured 9 by 5 & 1/2. What will happen if I use them or can I just use a 9 by 13 pan $
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You can use them for sure! The loaves will just be a little shorter 🙂