Zucchini Carrot Bread — 🥕💚🧡🎉 This is a fast, EASY, one bowl, no-mixer recipe for the BEST zucchini carrot bread! It’s super soft, moist, and tastes so good you’ll forget it’s on the healthier side! If you’re trying to take advantage of an abundance of summertime zucchini or just have a craving a fresh and warm quick bread, this one is PERFECT! As a bonus: even picky eaters don’t seem to notice the zucchini! 😉
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I loved this moist zucchini carrot 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.
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.
The zucchini carrot bread was so flavorful and moist that I didn’t even need butter. Although a browned butter or cream cheese glaze can never hurt!
Zucchini Carrot Bread Ingredients
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)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Zucchini Carrot Bread
- Stir together the sugars, cinnamon, and wet ingredients.
- 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 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.
Storage Instructions
Room temp: Store airtight at room temperature for up to 7 days.
In the fridge: You can store the bread in the fridge, although I don’t prefer it that way. I like my quick breads kept at room temp.
In the freezer: Store in a freezer bag for up to 4 months. Thaw on the counter when ready to eat.
Recipe FAQs
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.
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 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.
I omitted the usual carrot cake mix-ins, but you’re welcome to add chopped walnuts and/or raisins if desired.
Bake the bread until the top is set and golden in color, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Zucchini is a very moisture-logged ingredient and baking time can vary dramatically based on just how wet yours is. Don’t be afraid to bake longer than my estimate, if necessary. Carrots are also moist, so there’s that aspect too.
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.
Short answer: NO. Make sure the bread is completely done before you remove it from the oven. You can’t re-bake bread that you decide 15 or 20 minutes later (that falls as it’s cooling) that you want to pop it back into the oven. This never works, the bread will never set up correctly, and it’s also dangerous because the eggs were never fully cooked so from a food safety perspective, you need to toss it, sadly. Be sure when you take it out of the oven that it’s actually done.
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Zucchini Carrot Bread
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ 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.
- 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
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Zucchini Bread 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!
Frosted Apple Zucchini Bread — 🍏😋Super soft, moist, and topped with the BEST frosting ever!! One bowl, no mixer, EASY recipe for the best apple zucchini bread that everyone LOVES!!
Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread — 🍋🎉🍞 This EASY, no-mixer homemade quick bread combines tangy lemon flavor with tender zucchini which keeps it so incredibly soft, tender, and moist!
Originally published 2016, and republished July 31, 2020 and republished July 26, 2024 with updated text.
I made this recipe 3 times over one weekend! My picky eaters were so happy about this guilt-free yummy cake/bread that they asked for more and more! I am super happy to be baking something healthy and delicious for them! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
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Thanks for the 5 star review, Goli, and that’s impressive that you made this 3 times over the weekend and that even the picky eaters were satisfied!
I must have blown it! I cooked for an hour, and it seemed done. I tipped over the pan and it wasn’t cooked except for the outside. Just goop. This appears to be a great recipe, so kudos to you, Averie. I’m not sure what a did wrong, but grabbed a spoon and ate a bunch of the batter 🫢 What happened?
Ok first I hope you don’t get sick from the egg potentially. Don’t eat any more!
As for the baking error here, my guess is that it simply needed more time. An hour should have gotten it close to done though, yours sounds not close at all. I would buy an oven thermometer https://amzn.to/4h5FJoj quite inexpensive and make sure your oven is working to temperature. That 350F on your dial really is 350F as measured here. If that’s all correct, then wring out the zucchini before adding it to the batter. And just bake longer next time.
I wrote this in the Notes section of the recipe (partially pasted, go back to the Notes and read the full blurb)
“Zucchini is a very WET ingredient, some wetter and moister than others, and baking time can be impacted by how much moisture seeps out so bake until it’s done. Don’t ever take a bread out of the oven, realize 20 minutes later it wasn’t quite done, and then try to put it back in and bake it again. This never works and you need to toss it since it is/was still raw and will never bake correctly.”
could I use butter instead of oil for this recipe?
Tricky one. Yes you could I’m sure, however, I haven’t made it that way and so I don’t know if I would say cream it or melt it. The reason why I don’t use butter is that oil keeps quickbreads like this softer and more springy so it’s my go-to. Unless you have a very specific reason to use butter, I would just use oil because it’s great with oil. Look at the rave reviews!
This bread turned out moist and delicious. Full of texture with the added pecans and craisins. I wanted something similar to carrot cake and this worked perfectly. Loved the simple ingredients especially the use of coconut oil!
The only thing I did differently is use my new ceramic coated pan which decreases the time by 15-20 min😉
Thanks for the 5 star review, Michelle, and I’m glad this turned out amazing for you and checked off lots of boxes of what you were looking for in a recipe! Your pan sounds amazing, too!
Wonderful recipe. I used yellow zucchini and substituted splenda and it was so moist and delicious .My boyfriend asked me to make it again .
Thanks for letting me know this was a winner and wonderful and that yellow zucchini and splenda worked out well!
I absolutely love how moist this bread is!
I did press some of the wetness out of my zucchini before adding!
I also used gluten free flour and Monkfruit for the white sugar!
Next time I will definitely add the raisins and nuts! This is a keeper❤️ Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Amy, and I’m glad this worked out great for you even with GF flour and monk fruit!
Can any of these loaf recipes be made in standard muffin pans?
It’s a way to control portions! 😊
You probably can although I haven’t tested it so I can’t give you baking time. I am guessing 20-25 mins but it will depend on the size of the muffins of course.
This is a wonderful recipe! I decided to make it last night because I have a child that detest vegetables no matter what I do.
My child really liked this bread so I definitely will be making this again. It has a good flavor, not overly sweet and I liked that it uses coconut oil.
Thank you for this recipe!!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Liz, and I am glad this was kiddo approved and that you’ll definitely make it again!
Delicious! I added walnuts & raisins to mine, and used 1/2 gluten-free flour for a low-gluten cake. Turned out great, thanks!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Teresa, and I’m glad your additions worked well and also impressed to hear that using half GF flour also worked with no other changes!
Made this bread and it was delicious! The whole family loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Chris, and that’s great to hear your whole family loved the bread!
This was an easy quick recipe. It was very moist and flavourful. It really does need salt as I forgot to add. I would use 1/4 th-1/2 tsp.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Lisa, and I am glad this was a winner for you and yes, feel free to salt to taste for the next time.
Excellent taste and texture.
As I don’t digest cane sugars well I did substitute alternate plant based sweetners ( Splenda Baker’s Magic and Swerve brown sugar substitute). Came out great.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Kathi, and I am glad that you were able to use a sugar substitute and still had great luck!