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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Easy Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe

    Published: May 31, 2023 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    two half pieces of banana zucchini bread stacked on a plate with a loaf of banana zucchini bread in the background
    two half pieces of banana zucchini bread stacked on a plate with a loaf of banana zucchini bread in the background
    lopartial loaf and 2 pieces of banana zucchini bread on a wooden cutting board
    lopartial loaf and 2 pieces of banana zucchini bread on a wooden cutting board

    Banana Zucchini Bread is an incredibly moist and delicious quick bread recipe and the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and extra zucchini. Makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack. 

    For more easy quick bread recipes, try Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread -- my very favorite banana bread recipe -- and Lemon Blackberry Bread, a 5-star recipe that always gets rave reviews!

    lopartial loaf and 2 pieces of banana zucchini bread on a wooden cutting board

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    Jump to:
    • Zucchini Banana Bread
    • Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Banana Zucchini Bread
    • How to Tell if Zucchini Bread is Done
    • Storage 
    • Freezing
    • Success Tips
    • FAQs
    • More Easy Recipes
    • 💌Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    Zucchini Banana Bread

    If you're a fan of classic banana bread, you're going to love this easy zucchini bread recipe. It has all the flavor of banana bread with the tenderness and moisture that zucchini adds to baked goods. 

    It's an easy bread recipe that stirs together in one bowl (no need to haul out the mixer) and a great way to use up older bananas or all that summer zucchini. 

    If you love baking with bananas and zucchini, these tasty recipes from talented food bloggers are worth a peek: Pineapple Zucchini Bread and Bananas Foster Banana Bread.

    Why You're Going to Love This Recipe

    • Super moist and tender bread -- almost doesn't even need butter!
    • Great way to use up that summer bumper crop of zucchini
    • Easy zucchini banana bread recipe that stirs together in a few minutes

    Ingredients

    banana zucchini bread recipe ingredients

    Mashed bananas. You'll need about 2 medium bananas for one cup of mashed banana. For best results, use overripe bananas. Dark brown bananas are sweeter and add the most banana flavor. 

    Canola oil. You can use any kind of vegetable oil. 

    Sour cream. Sour cream adds moisture and makes the bread super tender. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt also works. 

    Brown sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar adds rich flavor. You can use dark or light brown sugar. 

    Fresh zucchini. One medium zucchini yields about one cup of shredded zucchini. To avoid getting too much moisture in the bread, wrap the grated zucchini in paper towels or a kitchen towel and gently squeeze out any excess water. 

    All purpose flour. Measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off the top. Scooping it out of the bag compacts the flour and you can end up adding too much, which can make the banana zucchini bread dry. 

    Optional add-ins. Feel free to add ½ to ¾ cup chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit. 

    How to Make Banana Zucchini Bread

    1. Prep the oven and loaf pan. 

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 5 bread pan with nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper. 

    2. Grate the zucchini. 

    Trim the ends off the zucchini and shred it with a grater. Wrap the grated zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside. 

    3. Mix the wet ingredients. 

    Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Stir in the oil and sour cream.  

    Add the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir. 

    Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract. 

    banana zucchini bread batter in white mixing bowl

    4. Stir in the flour and zucchini. 

    Add the flour and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the shredded zucchini. 

    shredded zucchini in banana zucchini bread batter in white mixing bowl

    5. Bake, cool, enjoy! 

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

    Bake for 65-75 minutes. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean and the internal temperature reads 200. 

    Tent with foil toward the end if it looks like it's getting too brown. I add foil at about the 60-minute mark. 

    Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan and cool completely on a wire rack. 

    It's delicious served warm with a generous smear of regular or cinnamon honey butter. 

    loaf of banana zucchini bread on a wooden cutting board

    How to Tell if Zucchini Bread is Done

    It can be a little tricky to tell if zucchini bread is done because the top often gets dark golden brown before the middle is completely cooked through. There are a couple of methods you can use to tell if it is done. 

    Toothpick test. Poke a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes back clean with moist crumbs, it's done. 

    But sometimes the loaf is too tall to poke a toothpick all the way down into the center. So I use a thermometer. 

    Best way: Instant-read thermometer. To truly know what's going on inside that loaf, use an instant-read thermometer. Banana zucchini bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees f. 

    two half pieces of banana zucchini bread stacked on a plate with a loaf of banana zucchini bread in the background

    Storage 

    Store zucchini banana bread covered in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for about a week. 

    Freezing

    Banana zucchini bread is a really good quick bread to freeze -- by the loaf or in slices. Here's how:

    • Let the bread cool completely before freezing. 
    • Wrap a full or partial loaf or individual slices in 2 layers of plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil. 
    • Place the foil packet into a large freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months. 
    • Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge. 

    Success Tips

    Lining the pan with parchment keeps the banana zucchini bread from sticking to the pan and makes it easy to lift the warm loaf out of the pan. 

    No need to peel the zucchini. The skin gets nice and soft as it bakes in the bread. 

    If you're using frozen and thawed bananas, strain off the liquid. Too much liquid can make the banana zucchini bread dense and gummy. 

    FAQs

    Should I peel zucchini for bread?

    No, you do not need to peel zucchini before making zucchini bread. The skin is pretty soft anyway and softens even more during baking. 

    How long does zucchini banana bread last in the fridge?

    You can store quick bread in the refrigerator for about a week. 

    Can you use brown sugar in banana bread?

    Yes, brown sugar adds delicious, rich molasses flavor to banana bread. If you're adapting a banana bread recipe to include brown sugar, try substituting all or half of the white sugar with brown sugar. 

    Can you use frozen bananas for banana bread?

    Yes. I love freezing bananas when they turn brown for making banana bread later. To thaw, microwave them at 50% power until thawed. They will be very soft and watery. To use thawed frozen bananas in banana bread, mash them and strain off the liquid before adding them to the batter. 

    piece of buttered banana zucchini bread cut in half on a white plate with loaf of bread in background

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      Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread (without Butter)
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    📖 Recipe

    lopartial loaf and 2 pieces of banana zucchini bread on a wooden cutting board

    Banana Zucchini Bread

    Cara Lanz
    Banana Zucchini Bread is an incredibly moist and delicious quick bread recipe and the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and extra zucchini. Makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack. 
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 275 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup mashed banana about 2 medium
    • ½ cup canola oil
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • 2 beaten eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 cup shredded zucchini about 1 medium
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    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 5 bread pan with nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper.
    • Trim the ends off the zucchini and shred it with a grater. Wrap the grated zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside.
    • Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Stir in the oil and sour cream.
    • Add the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir.
    • Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract.
    • Add the flour and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the shredded zucchini.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 65-75 minutes. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean and the internal temperature reads 200.
      Tent with foil toward the end if it looks like it's getting too brown. I add foil at about the 60-minute mark.
    • Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove it from the pan and cool completely on a wire baking rack.

    Notes

    Lining the pan with parchment keeps the banana zucchini bread from sticking to the pan and makes it easy to lift the warm loaf out of the pan. 
    No need to peel the zucchini. The skin gets nice and soft as it bakes in the bread. 
    If you're using frozen and thawed bananas, strain off the liquid. Too much liquid can make the banana zucchini bread dense and gummy. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 206mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 132IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Tammy says

      September 24, 2024 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      This was probably the best zucchini bread I have ever made. So moist and incredible flavor without being overly sweet.

      Reply
      • Cara Lanz says

        September 24, 2024 at 5:41 pm

        Hi, Tammy, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the nice note :). Cara

        Reply
    2. Kayla says

      June 03, 2023 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      I got to sample this today as did Farr. Here is his comment ; “This is TOP SHELF the best zucchini bread I have ever had”.
      Moist, flavorful, excellent!

      Reply
      • Cara Lanz says

        June 04, 2023 at 12:58 am

        Oh, good, I'm glad you got to try some! Thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed it. You made my day :).

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

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