A moist, fragrant quick bread that marries everything you love about classic zucchini bread and spiced carrot cake. Flecks of fresh vegetables keep the crumb tender and flavorful, while warm spices and just the right amount of sweetness make every slice irresistible—perfect for breakfast, snacking, or gifting.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Vegetable-forward flavor: Two cups of shredded produce add subtle sweetness and moisture without tasting “healthy.”
One-bowl convenience: Minimal cleanup—stir, pour, bake.
Year-round appeal: Uses pantry staples plus common produce, so you can bake it whenever the craving strikes.
Freezer-friendly: The loaf thaws beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep.
Customizable: Easily adapt spices, add-ins, or swap in gluten-free flour.

Ingredients

(Tip: You can find the complete list of ingredients and their measurements in the recipe card below.)

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Fine sea salt
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional ginger
Large eggs
Granulated sugar and light brown sugar
Neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or vegetable)
Plain yogurt or sour cream
Pure vanilla extract
Grated, well-drained zucchini
Finely grated carrot
Optional add-ins: chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, demerara sugar for topping

Directions

Preheat & prepare: Heat oven to 350 °F / 175 °C. Grease a 9 × 5 in (23 × 13 cm) loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl whisk eggs with both sugars until slightly thickened. Stream in oil, then whisk in yogurt and vanilla until smooth.
Bring batter together: Fold the dry mixture into the wet until a few streaks of flour remain. Gently fold in zucchini, carrot, and any add-ins just until evenly distributed.
Bake: Scrape batter into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with demerara sugar if desired. Bake 50–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool: Let the loaf rest in the pan 10 minutes, then lift it out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Servings and timing

Yield	Prep	Bake	Cooling	Total active
1 loaf (≈ 10 slices)	15 min	55 min	1 hr	1 hr 10 min

Variations

Citrus twist: Add 1 Tbsp orange zest for brightness.
Tropical loaf: Substitute half the zucchini with crushed pineapple (well-drained) and fold in shredded coconut.
Whole-grain: Replace up to 50 % of the white flour with white-whole-wheat flour; increase yogurt by 1 Tbsp if batter seems thick.
Gluten-free: Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend and add ½ tsp xanthan gum if the blend lacks it.
Muffins: Divide batter among 12 lined muffin cups; bake at 350 °F / 175 °C for 22–25 minutes.

storage/reheating

Room temperature: Wrap cooled loaf tightly; keep up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Extends freshness to 5–6 days; wrap to prevent drying.
Freezer: Double-wrap slices or the whole loaf in plastic and foil; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 2–3 hours.
Reheat: Warm individual slices in a 300 °F / 150 °C oven for 8–10 minutes or in a toaster oven until just heated through.

FAQs

Can I skip squeezing the zucchini?

Excess moisture can make the loaf dense and gummy. Lightly press grated zucchini between paper towels until it’s just damp—don’t wring it bone-dry.

What oil works best?

Any neutral-flavored oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower, grapeseed) performs well; avoid strongly flavored oils that could overpower the spices.

Can I reduce the sugar?

You can lower each sugar by up to 2 Tbsp without affecting structure; beyond that, texture and browning may suffer.

How do I know when the bread is done?

A wooden skewer should emerge clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top should spring back lightly when pressed.

Why did my loaf sink in the middle?

Probable causes are under-baking, expired leaveners, over-mixing, or excess liquid from unsqueezed zucchini.

May I use applesauce instead of oil?

Replace up to half the oil with unsweetened applesauce for a lighter crumb; a full swap yields a denser loaf.

What spices complement zucchini carrot bread?

Try cardamom, ginger, or allspice in addition to (or instead of) cinnamon and nutmeg for different aromatic profiles.

Is this recipe dairy-free?

Substitute the yogurt with equal parts unsweetened non-dairy yogurt or applesauce and verify that your sugar is vegan-friendly.

Can I make it nut-free?

Absolutely—omit nuts or replace them with sunflower or pumpkin seeds for crunch without allergens.

How do I prevent the loaf from sticking?

Grease, line, and leave parchment overhangs; allow a brief cool-down in the pan so the structure sets before lifting.

Conclusion

This zucchini carrot bread proves that wholesome ingredients and decadent flavor aren’t mutually exclusive. With its tender crumb, adaptable mix-ins, and freezer-friendly nature, it earns a permanent spot in any baker’s repertoire. Bake a loaf today and enjoy a slice of vegetable-powered comfort all week long