easy banana zucchini bread recipe

Name: Banana Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup); 2 cups sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1-1/2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

I’m always looking for new and easy breakfast or snack ideas that use fresh fruits and vegetables. Do you love banana bread? Zucchini bread? This banana zucchini bread combines the two of my favorite quick bread recipes, and this Banana Zucchini Bread combination comes out spectacular! My kids also love this recipe in muffin form. I love to make this easy banana zucchini bread recipe as mini loaves for family and friends too!

MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT THIS BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE:

Great way to use up ripe bananas. (Our Banana Bread Bars are another great way. 🙂
Also a great way to use all of those garden zucchini that can be overabundant sometimes! (looking for more ideas on how to use up zucchini? We have so many ideas here.)
Sneaks fruits and veggies into a snack that my children love.
Freezes well.
Can be made with added ingredients to mix the recipe up a little. (see list below)

INGREDIENTS FOR BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD:

Bananas – the overripe ones are the best, because they will make this bread taste sweeter naturally!
Zucchini – a lot of people wonder, “Do I leave the skin on zucchini for zucchini bread?” Yes! The skin won’t even be noticeable in the bread once it is grated. It adds all those extra healthy nutrients, and you won’t even taste it!
Sugar – normal granulated sugar
Flour – all purpose
Oil – you can use vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or even substitute applesauce for a healthier bread!
Vanilla – I love to use this Mexican vanilla.

OPTIONS YOU CAN ADD TO THIS BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE:

Chocolate chips – about 1 cup
Nuts – 3/4 cup
Blueberries – 1 cup
Dried cranberries – 3/4 cup

HOW TO MAKE BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

2. In another bowl, whisk eggs, bananas, sugar and oil.

HOW TO MASH BANANAS:

The riper the bananas, the better.
Use a fork to smash the bananas.
If desired, freeze the mashed banana in ziplock freezer bags.

3. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in shredded zucchini.

4. Pour into 2 greased 9×5-in. loaf pans.

5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK:

Do I leave the skin on zucchini for zucchini bread?

Yes! As I stated before, you won’t even notice it once it is grated, and it adds a lot of extra nutrients. Betty Crocker says that zucchini melts into the bread, so it would just be an unnecessary step. Yay for simplifying!

How many zucchinis is 1 cup grated?

A medium zucchini usually yields 2/3 cup of grated zucchini. So, to get 1 cup grated zucchini, you will need about 1 and a half medium zucchinis, 2 small zucchinis, or 1 large zucchini.

Why is zucchini bread mushy?

Zucchini bread can be mushy if the grated zucchini has too much moisture content. This can happen especially when you are using frozen grated zucchini. To avoid a mushy or gummy bread texture, squeeze out your zucchini and remove as much water as possible. DVO says to be sure to use a clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels to squeeze out the excess water for the best bread result.

What is the best way to shred zucchini?

Using a grater is the best way to shred zucchini for this bread. Eating Well has a great step by step guide to help you shred zucchini properly.

How do you know when zucchini bread is done?

Use a toothpick to test the bread to see if it is still done or needs to bake longer. If the toothpick is clean, the bread is done. If there is bread sticking to the toothpick, it needs another few minutes. Thermoworks says that using a Thermopen like this one is even more effective, using it to know your quick breads are done when they reach 200 F. (Hint, digital thermometers like this make a great gift idea for the cooks in your life!)