Carrot zucchini bread is packed with shredded carrot, shredded zucchini, and cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Pair a slice with your morning coffee or enjoy as a less sweet dessert treat.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender bread filled with cozy spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Tastes like a mix between zucchini bread and carrot cake.
Pan size: 9x5 loaf
Freezes well. Zucchini bread freezes well for up to 6 months and can be frozen as a loaf or individual slices (for easy reheating in the morning!).
Great for: Breakfast, snacking, less-sweet dessert.
Similar to: Applesauce Zucchini Bread and Carrot Zucchini Muffins
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need one cup of finely grated zucchini for this recipe. One cup of shredded zucchini weighs about 135 grams without squeezing any liquid out. This equals about 1 medium or 1.5 small zucchini. We're not squeezing the liquid out of our shredded zucchini because it adds moisture to the bread.
- Carrot - You'll need one cup of grated carrot for this recipe. This equals about 1.5 medium carrots and weighs about 120 grams.
- Sugars - We're using a combination of granulated and brown sugars in this recipe.
- Vegetable oil - Adds moisture to the bread. Can be substituted with ghee or any neutral cooking oil you have on hand.
- Egg - You'll only need one egg for this recipe today, since the carrot and zucchini help add structure to the bread.
- Vanilla extract - Adds depth of flavor.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure to the bread and balances out the wet ingredients in the recipe. I have not tested this recipe with other types of flour. Baking is an exact science, so I can't say for sure whether other types of flour will work as a substitute.
- Leavening - You'll need a combination of baking soda and baking powder to get the proper rise.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your bread.
- Spices - Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger add a hint of warmth and depth of flavor.
How to make carrot zucchini bread
- Add wet ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to remove clumps. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into a 9x5 loaf pan.
- Bake until golden brown and the center pops back when pressed.
Tips and tricks
Grating zucchini and carrots - I recommend shredding zucchini and carrot using the small or "fine" side of a box grater. The smaller pieces melt right into the bread as it bakes. A larger grate will work but adds a noticeable texture. Here's the grater I use for my zucchini: OXO Good Grips Box Grater
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
Food processor - If you have a food processor with a grating disc, this is a great time-saving way to grate vegetables.
Storage
Carrot zucchini bread can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container.
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.
No, zucchini has a mild flavor that makes it ideal for baking. Cucumber has a fresh "melon" flavor that's much more pronounced and not ideal for hiding in baked goods. For more information: Zucchini vs Cucumber - What's the Difference?
Yes! Check out my recipe for carrot zucchini muffins for detailed instructions.
Troubleshooting
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.
Dry baked goods can happen for several reasons. Either your bread was overbaked, too many dry ingredients (like flour) were added to the recipe, or the moisture-adding ingredients (eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini) were reduced.
Bland baked goods can happen for a few reasons. Omitting the salt, reducing the sugar, or adding too much flour can cause your bread to turn out bland. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients - it's not there to make your bread "salty". Measure flour accurately by weighing it using the gram measurements listed in the recipe card. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Gently spoon flour into a measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping flour with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. Decreasing the listed sugar can also make your bread turn out bland (and sometimes dry).
📖 Recipe
Carrot Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, do not drain liquid out
- 1 cup (120 g) finely grated carrot, do not drain liquid out
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (53 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease one 9x5 loaf pan (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add finely grated zucchini and carrot (do not drain/squeeze any liquid out!), granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
- 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.
- Sweetness: As written, this bread is lightly sweetened. For a sweeter bread, add an additional ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!