Carrot Zucchini Bread
If you’re searching for the perfect quick bread that bridges the gap between indulgent and wholesome, look no further than this Carrot Zucchini Bread recipe. Packed with fresh veggies, warming spices, and a hint of citrus from orange zest, this loaf is moist, flavorful, and ideal for breakfast, snacking, or even dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Carrot Zucchini Bread
- Naturally moist from shredded carrots, apple, and zucchini
- Spiced to perfection with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves
- A bright citrus twist from orange zest
- Freezer-friendly and it makes two loaves, (eat one, freeze one)
- Uses everyday pantry ingredients
- Flexible: the carrots and zucchini are interchangeable in this recipe
Whether you’re looking to use up garden zucchini or sneak veggies into your baking, this spiced carrot zucchini bread is the answer. Let’s dive in!
Making Carrot Zucchini Bread
Start by prepping your two 8 x 4″ loaf pans.
You can grease and flour them, or spray them; I like to use parchment paper. I cut a slice that’s about 8″ wide with both ends hanging out like handles, so it doesn’t line the whole pan, just most of it. Then, grease the heck out of the ends. the parchment paper really makes removing the bread easy, though.
Also preheat your oven to 350° and I should mention that I used a whisk and a wooden spoon for this recipe, no electric beaters. It’s a lot for hand-held beaters, so if you don’t want to use a spoon, maybe a stand mixer would be best.
Let’s Talk Zucchini
Shred the zucchini and remove as much moisture from them as possible. This is a really important step, so don’t skip it. A few ways to do this.
First, place the shredded zucchini in the center of a kitchen towel. Pull up the four corners and twist over the sink. Twist some more and squeeze. You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out.
Second, you can lay the shredded zucchini between layers of paper towels, but I’ll warn you, you’re going to use a lot of paper towels.
I like to do both, because putting wet zucchini into this recipe can have soggy consequences. Once you’ve removed as much moisture as you can, set aside for now.
Ok, moving on.
What’s Next?
In a medium or large bowl, whisk all your dry ingredients together; from the flour to the nutmeg. See the recipe card for exact measurements, then set that bowl aside for now.
Grab another large bowl and mix together the sugar and melted butter. Whisk away, then stir in the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla until well combined.
Now to bring it all together, fold in the dry ingredients along with the zucchini, carrots, apple, and pecans. With a wooden spoon, stir this mixture just until everything is combined and there are no more dry pockets, but be careful to not over mix.
Over mixing can result in hockey pucks and dense bread. It’s best to mix as little as possible.
Time to Bake
Pour the batter into the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 55 – 65 minutes, or until the loaf springs back when pressed on gently with your fingers.
You can also use party toothpicks (larger sized) to insert into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean or with small dry bread crumbs, they’re done. If the toothpick comes out wet, set the timer for a few more minutes, then re-check.
Let them cool on a wire rack.
After all that, I highly encourage you to slice off a warm end, slather it in butter, and indulge…you’ve earned it.
Tips for the Best Carrot Zucchini Bread
- Drain the zucchini well to avoid a soggy loaf.
- Don’t skip the orange zest—it balances the warm spices beautifully.
- This bread tastes even better the next day once the flavors meld!
Storage & Freezing
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze slices individually wrapped for quick grab-and-go breakfasts.
Final Thoughts
This Carrot Zucchini Bread is the kind of recipe that hits all the right notes—moist, flavorful, lightly sweet, and full of texture. The blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg adds comforting warmth, while the orange zest brightens each bite. Whether you serve it toasted with a bit of butter or straight from the loaf, it’s sure to become a seasonal favorite.
More Dessert Bread Recipes:
- Chocolate Orange Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread
- Grapefruit Dessert Bread
- Spiced Apple Raisin Bread
- Zucchini Snickerdoodle Bread
- Glazed Lemon Bread
- Dried Cranberry Banana Bread
If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.
Carrot Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini, shredded
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. orange zest
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups carrots, shredded
- 1 cup apple, peeled and diced (Granny Smith, Fuji, etc.)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 8 x 4" loaf pans with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
- Place shredded zucchini in a kitchen towel. Bring up corners and twist. Squeeze the towel to remove all (or most of) the liquid from the zucchini. When in doubt, lay between paper towels to remove even more.
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, mix together the sugar and butter. Stir in eggs, orange zest, and vanilla until well combined.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients along with the zucchini, carrots, apple, and pecans. Stir just until combined; avoid over mixing.
- Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 55 – 65 minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed in the center with fingers. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Carrot Zucchini Bread
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