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Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread

Carrot cake zucchini bread combines spiced vegetable quick-bread flavor with a thick cream cheese frosting swirl. Grated, squeezed zucchini and carrots bake into a tender loaf that's sliced clean and finished with a smooth frosting.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ginger
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.75 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 0.75 cup carrots finely grated
  • 0.5 cup raisins or pecans optional
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the loaf releases cleanly after baking. Slide the pan onto the counter with the oven preheated for faster assembly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a bowl until the spices are evenly distributed. Keep whisking until you no longer see any spice streaks.
  3. Beat brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks glossy and uniform.
  4. Stir in grated zucchini and finely grated carrots until they’re coated with the wet mixture. You should see evenly dispersed orange and green shreds.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined. Fold carefully until no dry pockets remain and the batter looks thick.
  6. Fold in raisins or pecans if using, distributing them throughout the batter. Stop as soon as they’re evenly mixed.
  7. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch for a golden top and a loaf that pulls slightly from the pan edges.
  8. Cool the loaf completely before frosting, setting it aside at room temperature. Let it reach full cool-down so the frosting stays thick instead of melting.
Frost and serve
  1. Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Mix just until the frosting looks spreadable and free of lumps.
  2. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled loaf. Finish with an even layer or a gentle swirl so the top looks thick and creamy.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini until it feels fairly dry, otherwise the loaf can turn dense. Store unfrosted or frosted bread covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before slicing. Freeze the unfrosted loaf up to 2 months (wrap tightly), then thaw overnight and frost after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use plain nonfat Greek yogurt and cream cheese-style frosting made with dairy-free cream cheese.