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Apple Zucchini Bread

Apple zucchini bread with warmly spiced batter and visible apple bits baked into a golden crumb, finished with a cinnamon sugar crust that crackles on top. This easy quick bread blends grated, squeezed-dry zucchini for a moist loaf without heaviness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup applesauce
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup apple, peeled and diced small
Cinnamon sugar topping
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
Mix the dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together until evenly combined.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. Beat brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
Add zucchini and apples
  1. Stir in the grated, squeezed-dry zucchini and the diced apple until the batter is evenly studded with fruit.
Combine without overmixing
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, with no visible dry streaks.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the pan, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the top, and bake for 55–65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (golden crust visible).
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets and the top crackle stays intact (warm, not hot).

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very well—excess moisture can make the loaf gummy. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce and expect a slightly softer crumb.