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Apple Zucchini Bread

Apple zucchini bread with a warmly spiced golden crumb and visible apple bits throughout. Grated, squeezed-dry zucchini keeps the loaf moist, while a cinnamon sugar crust crackles on top.
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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
Calories: 340
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
  • 0.33 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
Topping
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Set it aside so the pan is ready for filling.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together in a bowl until evenly combined. You should see no dry spice clumps.
Mix the batter
  1. Beat brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and well blended.
  2. Stir in grated squeezed-dry zucchini and diced apple. Fold until the apple bits are evenly distributed.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the top. Aim for an even coating so the crust crackles.
  2. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. The top should be golden and slightly domed.
  3. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing. The loaf firms up during this rest, helping slices hold their shape.

Notes

For best texture, grate the zucchini and squeeze it dry so the crumb stays golden rather than soggy. Store the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freezing is yes (wrap well and freeze up to 2 months). If you want a lighter option, replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce and expect a slightly softer crumb.