This twist on the classic zucchini bread adds the sweetness of carrots along with some warm spices and bright citrus. This makes a moist and rich bread perfect for a sweet breakfast or a snack between meals.
In this recipe
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Wring out your zucchini
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To glaze or not to glaze?
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toppings anyone?
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Zucchini Carrot Bread Mixture
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How to store zucchini bread
Every summer we reach a point where we are all overwhelmed by the amount of zucchini making their way into our kitchens and we start looking for recipes to use them. While I’m a big fan of classic zucchini bread, I also like to mix things up a bit – and this bread is the perfect solution.
A hybrid of classic bread and carrot cake, this bread is seasoned with warm spices (cinnamon, ginger and cardamom), bright orange zest and dusted with demerara sugar for a crunchy finish.
Wring out your zucchini
This bread is packed with shredded carrots and zucchini that not only add flavor but quite a bit of moisture as well. Which is great! But we don’t want too much – we want moist bread, not soggy bread.
Zucchini is a watery vegetable, especially the large ones grown from summer gardens. It’s important to remove the excess water before adding your zucchini to the bread dough.
You can remove this water by wringing out the grated zucchini over the sink. You can do this with your hands (I recommend making small portions that fit in the palm of your hand) by wrapping the zucchini in a clean tea towel or nut milk bag (if you have one).
The wrung-out zucchini should feel drier (more like the carrots).
Sweet quick breads like this Zucchini Carrot Bread stick in my mind as a cross between a sweet breakfast treat and an indulgent treat.
If I want to justify having a large slice for a weekday breakfast, I’ll go without the frosting. But if I’m serving it for dessert or just want a little extra sweetness, I’ll use the toppings.
In this recipe, I suggest a simple glaze flavored with nutmeg and vanilla, but feel free to swap out that extract and spices for whatever you like. Reflecting the flavors of the loaf (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, orange) would be a great exchange! Want a spicier glaze? Replace whole milk with buttermilk.
toppings anyone?
I also suggest topping with toasted coconut. I love the nutty flavor and crunchy texture it adds. To toast, spread coconut flakes on a sheet pan and bake at 325°F, stirring every few minutes, until flakes are golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Zucchini Carrot Bread Mixture
This bread is incredibly customizable.
Add some mix-ins!
- Chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or pistachios)
- Dried fruit (golden raisins, apricots, coconut flakes, or candied ginger)
Change the taste
- Don’t have or don’t like cardamom? skip it! Add some nutmeg.
- Swap orange zest for lemon.
Change the toppings
- Experiment with the flavor of your glaze.
- Swap out the toasted coconut for toasted nuts or seeds.
How to store zucchini bread
This bread keeps well on the counter for a few days—just store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Keep in mind that the coconut topping will become less crispy over time.
It also freezes well! You can freeze the whole bread by wrapping it in a piece of foil and then plastic wrap, or freeze individual slices by wrapping in the same way. I love keeping a few slices in my freezer to pull out for a special treat.
If you’re freezing, omit the glaze and coconut topping. You can store the frosting in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and the toasted coconut in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Thaw whole bread on the counter, or pop frozen individual slices into the toaster or oven for a quick reheat.
Make these quick breads!
- banana bread
- pumpkin bread
- Easy zucchini bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
Zucchini Carrot Bread
ingredients
For the bread
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butter or cooking spray to grease the pan
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2 small carrots (8th ounces total)
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2 small zucchini (10 ounces total)
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2 cups (260g) all purpose flour
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1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon Cinammon
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
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1 teaspoon freshly grated Orange peel
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1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
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1/2 cup (100 g) packed up light brown sugar
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1/2 Cup vegetable oil
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2 Big Eggs
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1 teaspoon freshly grated Orange peel
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1 tablespoon demerara sugar
For the glaze
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3/4 Cup powdered sugar
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4 to 5 teaspoon milk (whole milk or buttermilk)
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1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Big pinch freshly grated nutmeg
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prize Salt
For painting
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1/2 Cup sweetened coconut flakestoasted
method
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
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Grate carrots and zucchini:
Using a box grater, gently grate the carrots with the large holes. You should have packed about 1 cup. Put aside.
Next, grate the zucchini using a box grater with the large holes. Using your hands or a clean tea towel or nut milk bag, wring out the zucchini. You should have about 1 cup of bagged zucchini. Put aside.
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Whisk together the dry ingredients for the batter:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
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Combine wet ingredients for the dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Add the eggs and beat until smooth.
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Dough ready:
Add the grated carrots, grated zucchini, and orange zest to the bowl and stir to distribute. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture until just combined. After thoroughly combining, there should be no visible streaks of flour.
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Pour batter into prepared pan:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the spatula. Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top.
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Bake bread, then cool:
Bake the bread for 55 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for at least 20 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
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Make glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is smooth and pourable. Stir in the vanilla, salt and nutmeg.
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Drizzle with glaze and coconut:
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread with a spoon. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top. Serve cut slices.
This bread keeps well on the counter for a few days—just store in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Keep in mind that the coconut topping will become less crispy over time.
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| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 228 | calories |
| 9g | Fat |
| 34g | carbohydrates |
| 3g | protein |
