Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread Recipe

Oh friends, let me tell you about this Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread that’s about to become your new obsession! This incredibly moist, perfectly spiced loaf is packed with THREE different fruits and veggies (though technically, they’re all fruits if you want to get botanical about it!). The combination of sweet carrots, juicy apples, and mild zucchini creates a bread that’s bursting with flavor and nutrition while still feeling completely indulgent. And that cream cheese glaze on top? GAME-CHANGER! I stumbled on this recipe when I had a surplus from my garden, and now my family requests it year-round!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly moist texture that stays fresh for days – if it lasts that long in your house!
• Sneaky way to add extra vegetables into something that tastes like dessert – perfect for picky eaters.
• Versatile recipe that works as breakfast, snack, or dessert – you decide!
• Makes your kitchen smell AMAZING with warm cinnamon and sweet fruits baking together.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – melted butter creates an incredibly moist, tender crumb. Use the good stuff here – it makes a difference!
• Granulated sugar – sweetens the bread perfectly and helps create that slightly caramelized crust.
• Eggs – provide structure and richness. Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into your batter.
• Orange juice – adds brightness and acidity that enhances all the other flavors. Fresh-squeezed gives the best flavor!
• Vanilla extract – rounds out the flavor profile with its warm aromatic notes.
• All-purpose flour – the foundation of our bread. Measure correctly by spooning into measuring cups and leveling off.
• Salt – enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness. Don’t skip it!
• Baking powder and baking soda – the dynamic duo that gives our bread the perfect rise.
• Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg – this warm spice blend is what gives the bread that cozy, irresistible aroma.
• Shredded carrots – add natural sweetness, moisture, and that gorgeous orange color throughout.
• Shredded zucchini – practically disappears into the bread but adds incredible moisture and a subtle garden-fresh flavor.
• Diced apple – creates sweet, tender pockets of fruit throughout each slice. I prefer Granny Smith for their tartness, but any apple works!
• Chopped pecans – add delightful crunch and nutty flavor that complements the fruits and veggies perfectly.
• Cream cheese and butter – create the base for our tangy, smooth glaze that takes this bread to the next level.
• Powdered sugar – sweetens the glaze and gives it that perfect consistency.

The full ingredient list with measurements will be available in the recipe card below.

How to Make the Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. I like to line them with parchment paper too, for easy removal.
2. Prepare your fruits and veggies – shred the carrots and zucchini (no need to peel the zucchini!), and dice the peeled apple into small pieces. If your zucchini is particularly watery, give it a gentle squeeze in a clean kitchen towel.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well combined.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in color.
5. Stir in the orange juice and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
7. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Don’t overmix – that can make your bread tough!
8. Fold in the shredded carrots, zucchini, diced apple, and chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
9. Divide the batter evenly between your prepared loaf pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
10. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should be golden brown and slightly cracked.
11. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
12. For the cream cheese glaze, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
13. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until you reach your desired sweetness and consistency.
14. Add orange juice one tablespoon at a time until the glaze is pourable but still thick enough to cling to the bread.
15. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled loaves, letting it drip down the sides for that bakery-worthy look!
16. Allow the glaze to set for about 20 minutes before slicing – if you can wait that long!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t squeeze all the moisture from the zucchini – that’s what makes this bread so moist! Just a gentle press if it seems extremely wet.
• Make sure your carrots and zucchini are finely shredded – large pieces can make the bread harder to slice cleanly.
• For extra flavor depth, toast the pecans in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes before adding them to the batter.
• The batter will be thick – that’s exactly what you want for a moist, dense quick bread!
• Test for doneness carefully – underbaking will leave you with gummy bread, while overbaking can dry it out.
• For a lighter version, you can substitute half the butter with unsweetened applesauce and reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup. It’s still delicious!

How to Serve

This versatile bread is perfect for so many occasions! Enjoy a slice with your morning coffee for a special breakfast treat, or pack it in lunchboxes for a midday pick-me-up. For a dessert-worthy presentation, warm a thick slice briefly in the microwave and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

If you’re serving this for brunch, pair it with a savory egg dish and fresh fruit for the perfect sweet-and-savory balance. It’s also lovely alongside an afternoon cup of tea or as part of a dessert platter with other bite-sized treats.

For gift-giving, wrap individual loaves in parchment paper, tie with a pretty ribbon, and include a handwritten recipe card – it’s the kind of thoughtful gift people actually love to receive!

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead

This bread is perfect for making ahead! The flavors actually deepen and improve overnight. You can bake the loaves up to a day ahead, cool completely, wrap tightly, and store at room temperature. Add the glaze just before serving for the freshest presentation.

Storage

Keep unglazed bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or glazed bread in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese glaze means refrigeration is necessary if you’ve added it.

Freezing

This bread freezes beautifully! For best results, freeze unglazed loaves wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and add fresh glaze before serving.

Slicing Tip

For the cleanest slices, use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion. If the bread is very fresh, chilling it for 30 minutes before slicing can make it easier to get neat slices.

FAQs

Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread

This moist Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread combines garden-fresh produce with warm spices and a luscious orange cream cheese glaze. Perfect for breakfast, snacking, or gifting!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 2 loaves

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Spatula
• 2 9×5-inch Loaf Pans
• Grater
• Wire Rack

Ingredients

  

For the Bread

• 1 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1/4 cup orange juice fresh squeezed preferred
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded zucchini gently squeezed
• 1 cup diced apple Granny Smith preferred
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional

For the Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons orange juice to desired consistency

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans. Line with parchment for easy removal.
• Shred carrots and zucchini, dice the apple. Gently squeeze excess moisture from zucchini if needed.
• In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in orange juice and vanilla.
• In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Fold in carrots, zucchini, apples, and pecans (if using) until evenly distributed.
• Divide batter into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake 50–60 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool in pans 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar, then add orange juice gradually until pourable.
• Drizzle glaze over cooled loaves and allow to set 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Toast pecans for more flavor. Don’t squeeze zucchini dry — just gently blot. For muffins, reduce bake time to 20–25 mins.

Keyword apple bread, carrot bread, cream cheese glaze, quick bread, zucchini bread