Zucchini Banana Bread

This Zucchini Banana Bread is soft and tender, perfectly sweet and a great recipe to use when you can’t decide which quick bread you want.  It’s makes for a simple breakfast or afternoon snack and is a great way to use up extra zucchini and ripe bananas.

Easy Homemade Zucchini Banana Bread

The two most common quick breads that we make at home are banana bread and zucchini bread so at some point we decided to combine the two. As it turns out, Zucchini Banana Bread is a total winner!  It’s super moist, full of flavor and a great way to sneak some veggies into any picky eater’s diet.

This recipe is nut-free, but you could easily add either chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter. Or, if you want to go even sweeter, toss in a cup of chocolate chips. Yum!

This quick bread stores and freezes great, so we’ve created this recipe to yield two loaves even though you may just gobble them both up in a single afternoon.  We even have a chocolate zucchini bread recipe and the best banana recipes, we’ve got you covered, oh yeah!

Ingredients in Zucchini Banana Bread

• Bananas – these should be as ripe as you can possibly find.  Do not be afraid – the darker the better!
• Zucchini – you can grate these on a box or cheese grater, and you should squeeze out any excess liquid before adding them to your batter.
• Butter – make sure your butter is at room temperature so that it will cream properly with the sugar.
• Eggs – any type of large eggs will work great.
• Sugar – you’ll need regular white granulated sugar.
• Vanilla Extract – pure vanilla extract tastes best.
• Flour – we use all-purpose flour for this bread.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda – these both help to make the loaves rise and keep them nice and tender.
• Salt – sea salt works great.

How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread

1. Prep your loaf pans.  Spray (2) 9″ x 5″  or (2) 8 1/2″ x 5″ baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Make the batter.  In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, shredded zucchini (be sure to squeeze any excess water after grating), melted butter, sugar and vanilla and mix well using a spatula or wooden spoon. Next, add the eggs and stir just enough to combine completely.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined, then fold gently into the banana mixture.  Do not overmix.
3. Bake.  Divide your batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.  They should be filled about 3/4 full.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the banana bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Cool and serve.  Remove the pans from the oven and let the bread sit for at least 10 minutes before turning them on their side and gently teasing the loaves out (you may need to use a knife to loosen the edges).  Let cool on a wire rack until ready to eat.  Enjoy!

Tips

• Be sure and use extra ripe bananas for the sweetest and most flavorful Zucchini Banana Bread.  The darker the peel the better!
• After you shred the zucchini, be sure and squeeze out any excess moisture.  This ensures that the baked bread isn’t dense.
• Let the bread cool for a few minutes in the pan before trying to turn it out to cool completely on a wire rack.  If you turn it out too soon you’ll risk breaking it.

Zucchini and Banana Bread Variations

Here are a few easy recipe substitutions that you can make without changing a whole lot:

• Add 1 cup of chocolate chips or 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
• Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose.
• Use half white sugar and half brown sugar for a slightly different flavor.
• Add a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon zest to the batter.

Storing and Freezing

• Make-Ahead – you can make the batter a day in advance, divide the batter into the pans, and store it in the fridge overnight.  When you are ready to bake, remove the pan from the fridge and let sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
• Once Baked – your loaves should be covered and stored either at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer – you can also wrap your loaves individually then place them in a freezer bag and store frozen for up to 3 months.  To thaw, transfer to the fridge or room temperature overnight.

Here are some more of our favorite quick bread recipes:

• Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
• Mini Blueberry Bread
• Homemade Banana Bread
• Double Chocolate Banana Bread
• Einkorn Pumpkin Muffins
• Triple Berry Muffins
• Greek Yogurt Banana Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Bread
• Mini Lemon Blueberry Bread
• Homemade Zucchini Bread
• Popovers and our Cheddar and Chive Popovers
• More quick bread recipes

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This homemade Zucchini Banana Bread is super moist, full of flavor and a great way to sneak a little veggies into any picky eater’s diet.  It makes for a simple breakfast or afternoon snack and is a great way to use up extra zucchini and ripe bananas.