Description
This extra moist apple zucchini bread starts with fresh zucchini, then mixes in crisp apples and a warm blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger. See recipe Note about turning the batter into muffins. Coarse sugar on top is optional.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus 1/8 teaspoon for apples
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil or avocado oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, plus 1 Tbsp for apples
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups (150g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)
- 1 heaping cup (125g) peeled and chopped apple*
- optional: coarse sparkling sugar, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, the allspice, ginger, and nutmeg together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, applesauce, 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the zucchini.
- Gently stir or whisk until *just* combined; do not overmix. Toss the apples with the 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon. With a silicone spatula, fold the apples into the batter. Batter is slightly thick.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55–65 minutes. After 30 minutes, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the top from over-browning. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs.
- Remove the bread from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack. Cool in the pan for 1 hour, then remove the bread from the pan and place it directly on the cooling rack. You can slice the bread at this point, but it will still be warm in the center and may not slice neatly. For neat slices, allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.
- Cover and store bread at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled loaf, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If desired, bring to room temperature before serving. To learn more details about how to freeze quick breads, see my post called Make-Ahead Baking.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan or this 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Box Grater | Cooling Rack
- Apple Zucchini Muffins: Grease a 12-count muffin pan or line with liners. Grease or line 4 cups in a second muffin pan; this recipe yields about 16 muffins. Prepare batter as directed in steps 2, 3, and 4. Spoon the batter evenly into each liner, filling each all the way to the top. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21–23 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
- Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour? Yes, you can replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour with no other changes needed. The loaf will be dense. Or you can use half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour, for a less dense version.
- What Can I Use Instead of Applesauce? You can use sour cream, Greek yogurt, or mashed banana in its place if needed.
- Apples: I say 1 “heaping” cup because this amount does not need to be terribly accurate. Anything from 1 cup to 1 and 1/4 cups works. I usually use 1 red Honeycrisp apple and 1/2 of a green Granny Smith apple. Feel free to use just red or just green. Other apples that are ideal for baking, especially in quick breads, include Fuji, Jazz, Jonagold, and Pink Lady. See Best Apples for Baking for more suggestions.
- Tossing Apples in Cinnamon & Sugar: As instructed in step 4, toss the apples in a Tablespoon of sugar mixed with a pinch of cinnamon. This is optional, but adds a kiss of extra flavor.
- Can I Shred the Apples with the Box Grater? You can, but taste testers and I preferred the loaf with the chunks of apples, as it gave the bread more interesting texture. Think of the apples as an add-in, instead of blending them right into the batter.