Pumpkin zucchini bread is a moist and tender bread recipe that's perfect for fall. Made with shredded zucchini, pumpkin puree, chopped pecans, and your favorite fall spices.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Moist, lightly sweetened bread made with pumpkin, zucchini, cozy spices, and crunchy pecans.
Pan size: 9x5 loaf
Freezes well: Zucchini bread freezes well for up to 3 months and individual slices reheat beautifully in the microwave or toaster oven.
Great for: Fall baking, breakfast with coffee or tea, a less-sweet dessert.
Make muffins instead: Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need one cup of finely grated zucchini (before squeezing out the liquid). We're squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini because we're also adding pumpkin puree and don't want to add too much moisture (this causes your bread to be gummy). One cup of shredded zucchini should weigh about 135 grams before, and about 70 grams after squeezing the liquid out. This equals about 1 medium or 1.5 small zucchini.
- Pumpkin puree - You'll need a scant 1 cup of pumpkin puree for this recipe, or half of a 15 ounce can. This recipe was created to use exactly one half of a can, making it easy to double (using the entire can), or to use up an opened can.
- Sugar - Adds moisture and sweetness to your bread.
- Oil - Adds moisture to your bread. Any vegetable oil or neutral cooking oil works.
- Egg - Adds moisture and structure to your bread.
- Vanilla extract - Adds depth of flavor.
- Flour - I highly recommend using all-purpose flour for this recipe. I have not tested this recipe with other types of flours, and can't say for sure how your bread would turn out. Baking is an exact science, and altering the flour can change the texture and structure of your bread.
- Leavening - You'll need baking powder and baking soda for this recipe. One cannot be substituted with the other, you'll need both for the proper lift.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your bread.
- Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves can be substituted with an equal measurement of pumpkin pie spice.
- Pecans - Pecans are optional, but add a nice crunch and texture to your bread. Or, substitute with walnuts or chocolate chips for a chocolate chip pumpkin zucchini bread.
How to make pumpkin zucchini bread
- Add wet ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to wet ingredients, stirring to combine. Add pecans and stir to incorporate.
- Pour batter into a lightly greased 9x5 loaf pan and top with additional pecans.
- Bake until set across the top, center pops back when gently pressed, and bread reaches 200F in the center.
Heather's Top Tip
Use an instant-read thermometer to test the doneness of your zucchini bread. Quick bread is done when it reaches 200 to 205F in the center. This ensures your bread is perfectly baked, not doughy or dry.
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. Here's the box grater I use: 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
Storage
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.
Yes, for this recipe you'll need to squeeze the excess liquid from the shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. Too much liquid will make this bread soggy, gummy, and dense.
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?
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
Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, after measuring, squeeze liquid out*
- 1 scant cup (212 g) pumpkin puree, (½ can)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch cloves
- 1 cup (110 g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease one 9x5 loaf pan (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
- Measure 1 cup (135 grams) of grated zucchini, then place into a few layers of paper towels, or a kitchen towel, and gently squeeze over the sink to remove excess liquid. Zucchini should measure about 70 grams afterward.
- In a large bowl, add wet ingredients: zucchini, pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk to remove clumps. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Add ¾ of your pecans and stir to incorporate.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle remaining pecans on top. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes, OR until the center pops back when gently pressed, 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
- Squeeze it: Measure 1 cup (135 grams) of finely grated zucchini, then squeeze liquid out (70 grams) before adding to the batter.
- Storage: Leftover pumpkin 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: Pumpkin 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.
- Mix-ins: Pecans can be omitted or substituted with chopped walnuts.
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