Apple zucchini bread is a tender quick bread filled with cozy spices and juicy cubed apple. It's perfect for fall baking and makes a great breakfast or dessert.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender, sweet zucchini bread filled with cubed apples and cozy fall spices.
Pan size: 9x5 loaf
Freezes well. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Leftovers warm up beautifully in the toaster oven topped with butter.
Great for: Breakfast, dessert, snacking.
Similar to: Applesauce Zucchini Bread and Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need one cup of finely grated zucchini for this recipe. Do not drain or squeeze the liquid from your zucchini, this liquid adds moisture to your bread. Shredded zucchini should be lightly packed into your measuring cup. For this recipe, you'll need about 1 medium or 1.5 small zucchinis.
- Sugars - Granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness and moisture to your zucchini bread. As written, this bread turns out lightly sweetened. For a sweeter bread, you could add an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
- Vegetable oil - Adds moisture to your bread. Canola oil or light olive oil can work in a pinch.
- Eggs - Add moisture and structure to your bread.
- Vanilla extract - Adds depth of flavor to your bread.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure to your bread. I have not tested this recipe with other types of flours so I don't suggest making any substitutions. Baking is an exact science. Altering main ingredients can change the density and texture of your bread. If you have a different type of flour, then search for a recipe that includes the flour that you'd like to use.
- Leavening agents - This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder. They cannot be substituted for one another - you'll need both to get the proper amount of lift.
- Spices - Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt add depth of flavor to your bread. Salt enhances the flavor of your bread without making it "salty".
- Apple - You'll need one medium apple, peeled, and cubed. I recommend granny smith apples for baking because they have a nice balance of sweet and tart flavor and hold their shape well after baking.
How to make apple zucchini bread
- Add wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir into wet ingredients. Last, add cubed apple and stir to incorporate.
- Pour batter into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
- Bake until golden brown and the center pops back when gently pressed.
Tips and tricks
Shredding zucchini for bread - I recommend using the small side of a box grater to grate zucchini for baked goods. Finely grated zucchini melts seamlessly into the batter when baked with the only sign of zucchini being the tiny green flecks. The large side of a box grater also works but adds a noticeable texture to your baked bread.
Apple cubes - Chop your apple into small, bite size cubes. Large cubes can fall out of the baked bread when sliced and take longer to soften when baked.
Gently mix batter - If the batter is overmixed, the gluten is overworked and your bread can turn out tough. Instead, use a gentle stirring motion with a spoon (no need for a stand mixer or hand mixer) and only stir until ingredients are just incorporated.
Pan size - This recipe makes one 9x5 loaf of zucchini bread. These are the pans I use for all my zucchini bread recipes: Farberware Loaf Pan 9x5, Set of 2
Storage
Zucchini bread can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container.
Apple zucchini bread can be frozen for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container. To thaw a whole loaf, place on the countertop for up to 3 hours to bring to room temperature. Single slices will thaw in about 1 hour or less.
See my full post for more information: How To Store Zucchini Bread
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini before shredding it for zucchini bread. The skin of the zucchini contains fiber and other nutrients you'd otherwise be missing out on by peeling it off.
Once your bread is baked, the only sign of zucchini is tiny flecks of green throughout. Otherwise, the zucchini (skin included) melts right into the bread.
No, do not squeeze the liquid from your zucchini. For this particular recipe we're utilizing the liquid in the zucchini to thin the batter slightly and add moisture to the bread.
If your baked zucchini bread turned out soggy or sinking in the center, then it was either underbaked or had too much moisture. Make sure not to add extra wet ingredients to this recipe, like extra zucchini, a dollop of sour cream, applesauce, or extra vegetable oil. This recipe includes exact measurements of wet and dry ingredients to ensure your bread turns out perfectly baked and moist, not wet or soggy.
📖 Recipe
Apple Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, do not drain liquid
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease one 9x5 loaf pan (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add finely grated zucchini (including any excess liquid), brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add chopped apples and stir to incorporate.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 48 to 55 minutes, OR until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean/with dry crumbs, or bread reaches 200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (baking times will vary based on your oven and type of pan used).
- Allow bread to cool completely on the counter before removing from pan and slicing.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Storage: Leftover zucchini bread will keep in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If your bread is very moist/wet, I recommend refrigerating.
- Freezing: Zucchini bread can be frozen for up to 6 months. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap/foil and store in a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw on the counter top for 1 to 3 hours.
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