Apple Zucchini Quick Bread is full of moist zucchini, chunks of apples, and crusted with a cinnamon sugar topping. The perfect fall bread that whips up so quickly!
You know I love a quick bread – I have apple cinnamon swirl bread, cinnamon bread, and oatmeal quick bread. Now I’m taking two of my favorite flavors – apple and zucchini – and marrying them in this super fast bread!
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I made Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins years ago and they’ve been popular ever since. In that recipe, I shred both the apple and zucchini for a smooth texture.
In this Apple Zucchini Bread, I dice the apples for a chunkier texture and more apple flavor.
Julia actually requested it to celebrate her half birthday and any way I can get zucchini into that girl these days, I’m in.
INGREDIENTS
To make the bread you’ll need:
- Eggs – Four large eggs.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar.
- Applesauce – Make sure you opt for unsweetened applesauce. You can replace the applesauce with vegetable oil, if you prefer.
- Vanilla – I know it’s pricey, but pick a good quality pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for the best flavor. I buy mine in bulk from Sam’s Club or Costco.
- Flour – I’ve only tested this recipe with all purpose white flour.
- Baking Soda – Leavening agent for rise.
- Salt – For balance.
- Cinnamon – Again, try to pick a high quality cinnamon. Ceylon is my preferred.
- Zucchini – You’ll need 2 cups of shredded zucchini. Zucchini vary greatly in size, but for me, this was 1.5 zucchini.
- Apple – I used a tart Granny Smith apple to balance the sweetness of the bread. 1 cup diced apple was 1 large apple for me.
To make the topping you’ll need:
- Butter – Softened to room temperature. I use salted.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
- Cinnamon – Again, opt for a good quality.
TOOLS FOUND ON AMAZON TO HELP YOU:
Mixing Bowls – I love the large mixing bowls with grips on the bottom so they don’t slide around.
Box Grater – For grating the zucchini. I actually prefer the mini one & think it’s easier to work with.
Veggie Chopper – I use this thing for EVERYTHING lately, including dicing the apples for this bread.
Loaf Pans – As you can see I have a variety of glass and non-stick pans. I don’t prefer one over the other.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE ZUCCHINI QUICK BREAD
STEP ONE: Whisk together the eggs, sugars, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
STEP TWO: In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
STEP THREE: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
STEP FOUR: Fold in the shredded zucchini and diced apple. Pour evenly into two 9×5 loaf pans that have been sprayed with non-stick spray.
STEP FIVE: In a small bowl, with a fork, mix together the softened butter, cinnamon, and sugar to make the topping. Once combined, drop it onto the batter in the prepared pans.
STEP SIX: Bake at 325 for one hour or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before flipping out of the pan and slicing.
WHAT IS A QUICK BREAD?
A quick bread is any bread that is leavened with leavening agents (baking soda/powder) instead of yeast. Examples include banana bread, beer bread, and even pancakes.
WHICH APPLES ARE BEST TO BAKE WITH?
Since you’re dicing the apples for this bread, you’ll want an apple that is firm enough to keep their shape while baking and not overly sweet. Some good options are Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, and Pink Lady.
DO I NEED TO PEEL ZUCCHINI BEFORE GRATING IT?
Nope, you don’t need to peel zucchini when making zucchini bread or other baked goods. The skin is soft and melts into the bread. You might see small green flecks, but it will mostly disappear.
HOW MANY DOES IT SERVE?
This recipe makes two 9×5 loaves of bread. Depending on how generously you slice it, it should serve 12-16 per loaf. I recommend slicing with a serrated knife.
HOW TO STORE IT
This bread will keep, covered on the counter for 4-5 days…if it lasts that long! After the first day, I recommend sticking each slice into the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up a bit, then top with butter.
CAN I FREEZE IT?
This bread freezes well. Wrap the loaves tightly in either plastic wrap or foil, then place into a freezer bag. The loaves will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, move to the counter to defrost.
NEED MORE QUICK BREAD RECIPES? TRY THESE:
Chocolate Marble Zucchini Bread
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread
Cinnamon Apple Cider Bread
Click here to view my entire collection of Bread & Muffins.
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Apple Zucchini Quick Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups all purpose white flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup diced apple Granny Smith or Galas work well
For the Topping
- 4 Tb butter at room temp
- 4 Tb granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 and spray two 9×5 loaf pans with non-stick spray and set aside.
To Make the Bread
- To a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, applesauce, and vanilla.
- To another large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Fold in the shredded zucchini and diced apples until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
To Make the Topping
- To a small bowl, add the softened butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix together with a fork.
- Sprinkle over the top of the batter in the loaf pans.
- Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and set. A toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf should come out clean.
- Let cool in the pans for a few minutes before flipping out & slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Such a great recipe! I made it into muffins (makes about 24) so I grated my apple as well for texture reasons, but SO moist and delicious. These would make a great breakfast on the go, or snack for the kids. Yum.
Thanks! I love that you turned it into muffins 🙂
Easy, delicious, and the kids loved it! They had a piece after dinner, tonight, and asked for a second. They’re already contemplating toppings for their piece with breakfast.
Yay 🙂 love hearing that! My kids love it, too.
I followed this to the letter, but after 1 hour and 40 minutes baking, I’m not sure what to do. The outsides are done and darkened; the insides are like pudding. I’m and experienced baker with a calibrated oven, so I don’t understand what went wrong. The knife/toothpick came out clean from the center, but it just isn’t setting. It does taste good, but this isn’t something I’d share with others, and now I have two big loaves of it.
I’m sorry, I’m not sure what to offer here. I’ve made it many times without issue so I’m not sure what went wrong.