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! 😉
Table of Contents
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.
This recipe is delicious and moist. My one-year-old loved it. I’m definitely going to be printing off a copy. Thank you for sharing
Made these into gluten free muffins. Used coconut palm sugar instead of refined sugar. Turned out so moist. This recipe is Definitely a keeper.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a keeper for you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved the muffins and that they worked well GF!
Made these into gluten free muffins. Used coconut palm sugar instead of refined sugar. Turned out so moist. This recipe is Definitely a keeper.
Super moist and delicious! I made it because I had a carrot and zucchini in the fridge and looked for a recipe that would use them both. I found this recipe and it’s been my favorite ever since! I use a dark organic brown sugar, sour cream and coconut oil.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you found a recipe that would use what you had in the fridge!
Super moist and delicious! I made it because I had a carrot and zucchini in the fridge and looked for a recipe that would use them both. I found this recipe and it’s been my favorite ever since! I use a dark organic brown sugar, sour cream and coconut oil.
I made the carrot zucchini bread. I did substitute the all purpose flour, for gluten free. It’s my new favorite. This bread is delicious.❤️ Thank you, for the recipe.
Glad that GF flour worked out well for you!
Does peeling the zucchini affect the results? Don’t think the “green” will go over well in my house.
I have never tried peeling it, I’m sure you could and things will be fine though.
I made this bread today. I just tweaked the ingredients a little to make it healthier, such as whole wheat pastry flour, coconut sugar etc. I did double the recipe which made a perfect 9×5 loaf pan 3/4 full before baking . Moist, and delicious ?
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with the swaps you made!
Tried it….. not sweet enough for me…… so disappointed ☹️ Will try again with more sugar
Everyone’s tastes are different and it’s easy to add more, hard to take away, so feel free to add more next time. Also different carrots are just sweeter than others and yours may have been on the low-sweetness end of the spectrum. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Delicious!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!! This is one I will definitely make again!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Thank you, you response was so prompt. The vegetables were just mounded so I am imagining it was possibly 1 1/8 yet this can be unproductive as to the exact amount. Also, i think you are correct on the moisture unpredictability of the vegetables. I will try again.
You could also wring out the veggies a bit with a paper towel before adding them – that will definitely help eliminate excess moisture. Hopefully round 2 goes well!
I wonder what I may have done wrong. Hmmm, I followed the recipe to a “T”. I baked the Carrot Zucchini bread for the full time and it appeared uncooked. I then placed it back into the pan and baked for an additional 10 minutes. The bread still appears uncooked. In placing the zucchini and carrots into the bread I was a little over on the cup of each and did not think it would matter. I am perplexed.
The moisture content in veggies can vary, as can ovens, pan sizes, climates, etc and sounds like your bread was just very moist and needed more time in the oven. As long as it wasn’t burning, I would just leave it cook until it’s done. And since you went over the 1 cup each that the recipe called for, you could have had 1/4, 1/3 or even 1/2 cup more…that is probably the culprit too. Sounds like it was a slight deviation from the T :)
Made this into muffins for my 5 and 2 year old. I think my 5 year old gave it the best review. He said it was “EPIC”. Used strawberry greek yogurt instead of sour cream. SO GOOD!
Note: for 12 muffins I only needed a 30 minute bake time @ 350 degrees.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it was epic — too cute! :)
I wanted to let you know I have made this bread 3 times now, and absolutely love it! I made it according to your recipe twice, and also doubled the recipe once for a taller loaf, and it turned out great. I didn’t add all of the batter into the loaf as I was afraid it would overflow, but filled it up 3/4 of the way and made 3 muffins out of the leftover batter. It is such a moist bread with an amazing flavor. Thank you so much, Averie!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! All 3 times! Make sure to check out this new recipe I just posted Monday https://www.averiecooks.com/2016/08/blueberry-zucchini-bread.html with related links to other zucchini bread recipes since it sounds like you’re a fan!
Hi! I already baked your Carrot Cake Loaf and it was so so delicious. However, I’d like to try this recipe but I’ll replace the zucchini portion with the same amount of carrots since here in my country zucchinis are very expensive. That is okay I hope. Anyway, is this now your go-to carrot cake/bread recipe?
i made this today, and it is the perfect carrot zucchini bread recipe! i was nervous the outside would be too crispy (because of your tip) but mine was moist after baking 52 minutes. this is definitely going to be a staple recipe! if anyone is nervous about making this, try it, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Zucchini and carrots both have lots of moisture and all ovens, ingredients, etc. vary so I always write my recipes in such a way to give people tips on what to do in various situations. Glad this is a keeper for you!