Zucchini Carrot Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
If you like carrot cake or zucchini cake, you’ll definitely want to try this zucchini carrot bread recipe. I don’t post bread recipes very often, but that should change because this quick bread recipe tastes like cake! It’s a little bit denser than a carrot cake and not quite as sweet, but it tastes just as incredible. This bread has such a soft and moist crumb thanks to all the moisture from the shredded carrots and zucchini. It also has just the right amount of sweetness and the perfect touch of cinnamon. If you want to splurge a little, then I’d recommend going for the homemade cream cheese frosting and finishing it off with chopped pecans. After all, when you can top it with frosting, why not? (That could be a dangerous thought for me — who knows how far I could take that!) I love the sweet, creamy, fluffiness frosting offers. It just makes it extra special, because it isn’t often you get a loaf of bread covered with a layer of cream cheese frosting. Add this easy zucchini bread recipe to your list because it will likely find a place in your recipe box right next to your favorite banana bread recipe.
Zucchini Carrot Bread Ingredients
For the zucchini carrot bread, you’ll need:
All-purpose flour Baking powder and baking soda Salt Ground cinnamon Ground nutmeg Granulated sugar Light brown sugar Canola oil Unsweetened applesauce Eggs Vanilla extract Shredded carrots Shredded zucchini
And for the optional cream cheese frosting, you’ll need:
Unsalted butter Cream cheese Vanilla extract Powdered sugar Chopped pecans or walnuts
How to Make Zucchini Carrot Bread
Combine the wet and dry ingredients in two separate bowls, leaving out the shredded carrots and zucchini. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, then carefully fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots with a spatula. Divide the batter between two prepared loaf pans and bake until fully set and risen. While the zucchini carrot bread loaves cool, make the cream cheese frosting, if desired. Spread the frosting onto the loaves once they are completely cool. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and enjoy!
Can I Make This Recipe Into Muffins?
I haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve had readers report success when baking this recipe in a muffin pan. If you make these into muffins, you’ll likely need to shorten the bake time to around 18-20 minutes.
How to Freeze Zucchini Bread
This carrot zucchini bread can easily be frozen. If you want to freeze the entire loaf, let it cool completely to room temperature before wrapping it in two to three layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to six months. To freeze this bread sliced, I recommend first freezing the slices on a baking tray. This way, the slices won’t get squished when stored inside a freezer bag.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Carrot Bread
If you’d like to make this quick bread recipe a little heartier, you can use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. Wait to add the cream cheese frosting until the bread is almost completely cooled. For extra texture and flavor, toast the pecans or walnuts before chopping them.
More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love:
The BEST Banana Bread Lemon Blueberry Bread Lemon Zucchini Bread Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
