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Zucchini Banana Bread

Zucchini banana bread that’s super moist with a golden-brown crust and a tender, flavorful crumb. Grated zucchini is squeezed dry and folded in for a hidden-veggie loaf with classic quick-bread flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
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 tsp cinnamon
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 bananas very ripe, mashed (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
Optional add-ins
  • 0.5 cup walnuts or chocolate chips

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Position the rack in the center of the oven so the loaf bakes evenly.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Mash the very ripe bananas until smooth, then stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
  2. Stir in the grated zucchini that has been squeezed dry so the batter stays thick.
Combine and bake
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain.
  2. Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips if using.
  3. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and spread it level.
  4. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F, until deep golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean (visual cue: golden-brown top and set center).
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing (visual cue: the loaf firms up and is easier to cut cleanly).
  2. Slice and serve after cooling; the crumb should be tender and dense.

Notes

Pro tip: after grating zucchini, squeeze it very dry in a clean towel so the loaf bakes up dense instead of wet. Store wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze sliced portions up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, replace half the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce if you want a slightly less rich crumb (texture will be a touch softer).