Name: Carrot Zucchini Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: The dry ingredients:; 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; pinch of cloves; The wet ingredients:; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 large egg, room temperature; 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to sprinkle on top; The add-ins:; 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), excess moisture squeezed out; 1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

A moist, warmly spiced quick bread packed with ripe bananas, shredded zucchini, and carrots. Bakes as a loaf, mini loaves, or muffins.

The counter situation here in late July is getting a little out of hand.

There are zucchini from the farmers market, bananas that got away from me, peaches too but that is a story for another day and a pile of carrots that had good intentions behind it. This recipe is what happens when you look at all three and decide they belong together, which, it turns out, they absolutely do.

This carrot zucchini banana bread is the kind of quick bread you make on a Sunday afternoon and eat all week. It is moist, warmly spiced, and better on day two than it is on day one. The carrots add a little earthiness and pretty orange flecks throughout. The zucchini almost disappears entirely and creates a moist delicious crumb. The overripe bananas, the ones with brown spots all over the skin and soft all the way through, do the rest.

The recipes also makes muffins, if that is the direction you want to go. The batter is the same either way.

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What Makes This Loaf Worth Making

You may already have a carrot banana bread on your radar, and if you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I have one too. This recipes is different in one way: the zucchini.

Adding shredded zucchini to a carrot banana bread is not just a great way to use up extra vegetables. It changes the texture of the loaf in a way that is hard to explain until you taste it. The crumb gets a little more tender believe it or not. It is the difference between a good quick bread and one that will have you reaching for another slice before you finished the first one.

Think of it as the lovechild of zucchini bread and carrot cake, with mashed bananas holding everything together. Each one brings something different to the loaf, and together they create an incredible flavor that you will not get from any one of them alone.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are the backbone, and they make the whole loaf smell like a hint of Fall.

What You Will Need to Make Carrot Zucchini Banana Bread

The dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of cloves

The wet ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, room temperature

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon granulated sugar to sprinkle on top

The add-ins:

1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), excess moisture squeezed out

1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

A Few Notes on the Ingredients

The bananas: overripe means very brown, ideally with brown spots covering most of the skin. The browner the better. I always keep a bag of overripe bananas in the freezer for exactly this kind of recipe. Pull them out the night before, or set them in a bowl of warm water to defrost quickly.

The zucchini: use a medium zucchini, not a large one, they have too many seeds. Grate the zucchini on the medium holes of a box grater or use your food processor, then squeeze out the excess moisture. This step is important. Too much liquid in the batter will make a dense loaf.

The carrot: one medium carrot, finely grated.

The flour: I used all purpose flour but you could also use white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour without making it heavy. Spelt flour works beautifully here too, if you have it. If you are baking gluten-free, a good measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend can be substituted, though the texture will be slightly different. You can mix the flours, but be sure use 1 and 1/2 cups total.

The oil: vegetable or canola oil if you prefer a neutral flavor. Olive oil works well as does coconut oil.

The sugar: brown sugar gives you more depth than white sugar would. Coconut sugar can be substituted one for one. Light or dark brown sugar both work; dark will give you a slightly richer flavor.

The egg: room temperature, so it incorporates smoothly into the wet ingredients. If you forget to pull it out ahead of time, set it in a bowl of warm water for five minutes.

The vanilla extract: real vanilla, not imitation.

The walnuts or pecans: optional. They add crunch and a little toasty flavor If someone in your house has a nut allergy, chocolate chips are always a delicious substitute. Fold them in with the vegetables.

How to Make Carrot Zucchini Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, then line it with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the side of the pan. If you are making mini loaves, prepare three mini loaf pans the same way. For muffins, line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease the muffin cups well.

Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of cloves and salt. Whisk until everything is evenly distributed. Set the flour mixture aside.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat together the mashed bananas, large egg, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a fork. Beat until the wet ingredients are smooth and the sugar is mostly incorporated.

Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stop when you no longer see dry flour streaks. Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes quick bread tough, and nobody wants tough quick bread.

Add the grated zucchini, grated carrot, and chopped walnuts or pecans(if using) to the batter and fold until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar. Place in the preheated oven and bake according to the following times, beginning to check early since baking times vary by oven:

Standard loaf: 50 to 60 minutes

Mini loaves: 30 to 40 minutes

Muffins: 18 to 22 minutes

The bread is done when a toothpick or a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a crumb or two. The top should be deep golden brown and spring back lightly when pressed. If the top is browning quickly before the center is set, tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes then use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing.The flavor gets better as it sits. If you can wait until the next morning, you will be very glad you did.

Storing and Freezing Quick Bread

Wrap the cooled, room temperature loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It will stay moist and fresh for a couple of days at room temperature, and up to five days in the refrigerator. The oil and the moisture from the vegetables keep it from drying out, which is one of the best things about this recipe.

This loaf freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then store them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months. Thaw slices at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or pop them directly into the toaster from frozen for a warm, slightly crispy edge. The whole loaf can also be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.

Reheating: a slice warmed in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds is a very good afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Toast it in a skillet with a little butter for something even better.

Questions

Can I make this into muffins?

Yes. Divide the batter among 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners and bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes. Muffins are a good option if you want individual portions that freeze easily and travel well.

Can I add chocolate chips?

You can. Fold in about 1/2 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips with the vegetables.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of oil?

You can substitute half the oil with plain Greek yogurt for a slightly lighter loaf. The texture will be a little less tender than the oil-only version.

Can I use maple syrup instead of brown sugar?

Maple syrup adds a lovely flavor and a nice extra sweetness, but it changes the moisture ratio in the batter. If you want to try it, replace the brown sugar with 1/2 cup of maple syrup and reduce the oil by two tablespoons. The loaf will be slightly denser.

Can I make this gluten-free?

A good measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend can be substituted for the flour in this recipe. The texture will be slightly different.

Can I make this egg-free?

Yes. Use a flax egg: one tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with three tablespoons of water, stirred and left to sit for five minutes until it gels. The bread rises slightly less but holds together well and the flavor is unchanged.

Did you make this zucchini carrot banana bread? Do you have another favorite quick bread recipe? Leave a comment below to share your recipe.

Quick breads are one of my favorite breads to make. They come together easily and there are endless variations. I love them with a cup of English Breakfast tea in the afternoon or a slice for breakfast.

More Quick Breads to Try

If the zucchini situation on your counter is still out of hand after this, here are a few more recipes that should help:

Homemade Zucchini Bread (The Best Ever)

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Carrot Banana Bread

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Have a wonderful week friends.

2 Comments

Gray says:
July 29, 2026 at 9:09 am
Wow – I am making a gluten free, maple syrup version when I return from vacay and will keep you posted!! Yum…..
Patricia says:
July 29, 2026 at 3:29 pm
This sounds delicious and I am going to make it asap ! One quick question, I always have frozen bananas in the freezer too. When you defrost them before using them in this recipe, should you drain all the liquid that seems to appear when you defrost them? Or add it all along with the bananas.? Thanks so much