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I took my Mom’s Banana Bread recipe and turned it into an EASY Zucchini Banana Bread – this recipe was SO good and simple and it disappeared fast! The quick bread is moist and tender with tons of banana flavor and it’s moist from the zucchini – the perfect bread for any day all day!
Why this is the BEST Zucchini Banana Bread
If you’ve ever wondered can bananas be put in zucchini bread or can zucchini be put in banana bread, then this is the recipe for you!
I started this recipe with my mom’s banana bread recipe and combined the idea of zucchini with my cinnamon sugar blueberry banana bread recipe. I love quick bread recipes – I have so many on this site and love each and every one.
It was easy to switch my normal banana bread recipe to a zucchini banana bread: all I needed to do was reduce the banana and add shredded zucchini. The natural sweetness of the banana adds nice moisture and flavor to the bread, and the zucchini loosens up the batter because it’s wet when grated. It’s the perfect zucchini bread!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- BANANAS: I like to use really overripe “tired” bananas. Did you know that when your ripe bananas get spotty you can freeze them? They turn brown, slimy and gross looking, but they work amazing in baked banana recipes. Just defrost before adding to the batter.
- MILK: My mom’s recipe calls for sour milk. Since that’s not a thing anymore, I use regular milk and add vinegar to the batter. You can also use lemon juice. You can also use any kind of milk (dairy or nondairy milk).
- OIL: I love making quick bread with vegetable oil – it makes it so easy to mix up. You can also substitute melted butter.
- FLOUR: This recipe uses all-purpose flour but you can use a combination of AP and whole wheat flour.
- ZUCCHINI: Shred your zucchini with a box grater. No need to ring it out unless it seems unusually wet or has been thawed from frozen. A medium zucchini is perfect.
- EXTRAS: I add cinnamon sugar on top the bread, which can be optional. You can also fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. You could also add chocolate chips.
How to make Zucchini Banana Bread
- Add the oil to a large bowl with granulated sugar, mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Add baking soda, cinnamon, salt, milk, and vinegar and stir until batter is combined. Stir in shredded zucchini.
- Add to a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or an 8×4-inch) and top with cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar topping – that’s the best part. It gets crunchy in the oven and adds so much delicious flavor to the top of the bread.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the bread.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- If you have an abundant amount of zucchini you can freeze the shreds – or make extra zucchini bread with chocolate chips or even blueberry zucchini bread.
- You can turn this into zucchini muffins by baking in a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Zucchini Banana Bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
- You can substitute 1:1 Gluten Free flour for the All-Purpose Flour.
Storage
Store bread covered with plastic wrap on the counter or freeze it tightly wrapped for several months.
FAQ
The sourness of the milk (the acid in the buttermilk) activates the baking soda, helping the bread to rise. If you don’t have buttermilk make your own by adding vinegar or lemon juice to milk.
I never have to, it seems that the zucchini isn’t too wet. But if yours seems wetter then normal, then go ahead, it won’t hurt.
You may have over mixed it or mixed too vigorously. Is it baked all the way? If you didn’t bake it all the way it will collapse as it’s cooling.
Zucchini Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar , divided
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium overripe banana , mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 7 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon , divided
- 2 cups (248g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (180g) shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5x3” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Stir oil and ¾ cup (150g) sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in banana, eggs, milk, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients until just incorporated, then stir in zucchini. Pour into prepared pan.
- Combine ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle some evenly over the top of the batter. You will have leftover cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out in the very center with just a few crumbs. The edges will be a dark brown and there will be a nice crack down the center.
- Cool completely before removing loaf from pan, but you can cut slices from the pan after it’s cooled for about 15-20 minutes.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- In place of vegetable oil you can also use 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter.
- You can use dairy-free milk (i.e. almond milk)
- If you have lots of overripe bananas you can freeze them in their peels. When ready to bake, just thaw however many you need. The peels will be brown and the banana will be wet and (honestly) kind of unappetizing looking, but it will bake up just fine!
- Store in an airtight container or bag on the counter for a few days. You can also freeze banana bread (whole or slices) wrapped well in plastic wrap.
Recipe Nutrition
Favorite Quick Bread Recipes
When I first read A Handmaid’s Tale in high school I was so traumatized I actually had nightmares. Now that I’m older (not sure about being wiser), I want to read it again before watching the tv show. Some of us in Canada have a long weekend this weekend and I think baking cinnamon sugar zucchini banana bread and reading this book will be the perfect holiday Monday activity. Thanks for the inspiration Dorothy!
sounds fantastic!
The recipe calls for oil but the directions say cream butter. Should it be butter instead of oil?
This sounds great; just like the rest of them!
The cinnamon-sugar crust is your signature banana bread style and I love that you carried it over into this version! I would seriously eat the whole loaf because banana bread of any kind is my BFF!
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