Zucchini Nut Bread - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

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Delightfully moist Zucchini Nut Bread with cream cheese frosting is an incredible treat. Made with freshly grated zucchini and crunchy nuts, this homemade quick bread is a perfect balance of wholesome and sweet. It’s deliciously satisfying and great for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. The cream cheese frosting adds an extra layer of richness that makes each bite absolutely irresistible!

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Mom’s Zucchini Bread

Successful gardening often means a large bounty of vegetables, and zucchini nut bread can be one of your favorite ways to enjoy fresh zucchini. Growing up, my family had a huge garden, and suddenly we would be inundated with zucchini!

Zucchini bread was a sweet summer treat my mother made. If you have never tried zucchini bread, you will find it is moist, just like carrot cake or banana bread.

Zucchini is very mild tasting, so it may be difficult to understand how bread containing zucchini can taste so fantastic – it does when nuts, sugar, and cinnamon are included and because the zucchini adds moisture.

3 Tips for Handling Zucchini to Make Zucchini Nut Bread

Zucchini is great for baking because it contains a lot of water to make baked goods extra moist. So feel free to add it to brownies, cakes, muffins, pumpkin bread, and more. Here are 3 tips for how to use zucchini in your baking recipes:

  1. Peeling your zucchini is not usually necessary. Zucchini skin is thin and softens while baking; you won’t notice it in your baked loaf. Note that the skin contains lots of vitamins and minerals.
  2. Small to medium-sized zucchinis work best. However, larger zucchini may need to be seeded and peeled if the skin is tough.
  3. Grate your zucchini with a large box grater or food processor with a shredder attachment. Don’t dice or chop it – grating is the best way to retain moisture.

Why You Should Try This Zucchini Bread With Cream Cheese Frosting

This zucchini bread with walnuts is enhanced by cream cheese frosting, giving this bread a more dessert-like appearance and flavor. This is an extra moist quick bread recipe with a warm cinnamon flavor that everyone will love. Grated zucchini mixed into the batter brings moisture and a tender texture to what is essentially a spice cake.

Quick breads are so easy to make, and there’s nothing more classic than zucchini bread. After you try this recipe for zucchini nut bread, you won’t need another one.

Zucchini doesn’t have to be something your kids won’t eat! Baked into something sweet like this zucchini nut bread, your kids won’t even notice it – and you don’t even have to tell them!

Recipe for Zucchini Bread With Walnuts – Ingredients You Will Need

All you need to make zucchini bread with cream cheese frosting is a few simple ingredients as follows:

For the zucchini walnut bread:

  • Zucchini
  • Walnuts
  • Large Eggs
  • Sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Vegetable oil
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • Butter
  • Cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
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How to Make This Easy Recipe for Zucchini Bread

This recipe for zucchini bread with walnuts is not at all difficult to make as follows:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
  2. Grate the zucchini and squeeze out excess water.
  3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
  4. Cream together the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  6. Fold in the shredded zucchini and walnuts.
  7. Bake at 350°F for about 40 to 50 minutes.
  8. Remove the loaves from the pans and place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
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  1. While the bread is cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
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  1. Spread the frosting on the top of the cooled loaves.
  2. Serve and enjoy!
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Recipe Variations

This recipe for zucchini bread with walnuts is highly customizable. Here are several ideas for variations:

  • Swap out the walnuts for pecans.
  • Add a pinch of nutmeg and ground cloves.
  • Use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon.
  • Dried cranberries or raisins are a great addition.
  • Add some shredded coconut, some orange zest, or a handful of mini chocolate chips.
  • You can also use this recipe for zucchini bread to make zucchini muffins instead of loaves.

How to Serve This Easy Zucchini Bread

This moist zucchini bread recipe makes a nice breakfast, a tasty snack, or an accompaniment to your mid-morning cup of coffee.

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How to Store Zucchini Bread

You can keep baked zucchini bread without frosting on your kitchen counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If frosted, it should be kept in the refrigerator and will last for up to 5 days.

Like most quick breads, zucchini bread freezes well. Cool it completely, then freeze slices wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or place the wrapped slices in a plastic freezer bag. Slices make it easy to take out just the right amount you’d like to eat. It’s best eaten within 3months.

Allow your frozen slices (still wrapped) to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

This recipe for zucchini bread makes two loaves, so it’s a good way to make one to enjoy and one to freeze.

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More Recipes with Zucchini

If you enjoy zucchini, or your garden is overflowing with fresh zucchini, here are some additional zucchini recipes for you:

  • Boston Market Squash Casserole
  • Chicken Croquettes
  • Fried Zucchini Chips
  • Penne Primavera
  • Zucchini Cake

Favorite Bread Recipes

And here are some more easy quick bread recipes for you to try:

  • Apple Bread
  • Banana Nut Bread
  • Beer Bread
  • Boston Brown Bread
  • Rhubarb Bread
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread
  • Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Check out more of my easy bread recipes and favorite family recipes on CopyKat!

Zucchini Nut Bread

Zucchini Bread with walnuts and cream cheese frosting is the perfect way to use fresh zucchini.

5 from 9 votes

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

Bread

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 16 ounces powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Bread

  • Grate the zucchini with box grater. Place the grated zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze out the excess water. Measure 2 cups of zucchini after the water has been removed.

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray two loaf pans with nonstick spray.

  • In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

  • In another large mixing bowl, cream together the eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla using an electric or stand mixer.

  • Add the sifted dry ingredients and gently mix to combine.

  • Fold in 2 cups of zucchini and the chopped walnuts.

  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean.

  • Allow the loaves to rest in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing from the pans to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Frosting

  • Use a mixer to combine the butter and cream cheese.

  • Slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until combined.

  • Spread the frosting over the top of the zucchini bread.

  • Once frosted, the bread should be stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Zucchini Nut Bread - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should you peel zucchini for zucchini bread? ›

Don't peel the zucchini – Yes, it's tempting to remove the zucchini's skin, but there is no need to do that. Zucchini melts into the bread, so peeling is just an unnecessary step. Do grate the zucchini – I don't know about you, but when it comes to zucchini in bread, I want it there – but I don't want to see it.

Do you squeeze out the liquid from zucchini for bread? ›

But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though. Squeeze for lighter, drier bread. Leave it as is for denser, moister bread.

How do you keep zucchini bread from falling down? ›

Yeasted breads such as brioche often emerge from the oven with a fluffy, impressive domed top, but too often the dome collapses as the bread cools. Cooling the bread on its side on a cooling rack gives the bread's structure an opportunity to stabilize, making it less likely to fall.

Do you remove seeds from zucchini for bread? ›

If your zucchini is large, you should remove the seeds. By the time the zucchini has large and well formed seeds, it is tougher and the seeds are tough to eat and often taste bitter. They will not be pleasant in the zucchini bread, so it's recommended that you scoop them out before adding the flesh to the bread.

How many zucchinis does it take to make 2 cups grated? ›

You need 2 cups of grated zucchini for the recipe, so you will need about 3 small zucchini, 2 medium zucchini, or 1 large zucchini.

How many zucchinis is 2 cups grated? ›

A medium zucchini will result in approximately 1 cup of shredded zucchini. If you happen to be using a larger zucchini and the seeds are large, cut the zucchini lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

Why does my zucchini bread fall in the middle while baking? ›

Adding too much or insufficient leavening agents: Adding too much leaveners will cause your quick bread to sink in the middle. Baking at a high altitude: Adjust the amount of leaveners depending on your location.

How many zucchinis in a cup? ›

When sliced, 1 medium zucchiniyielded about 1 to 1.25 cups and if grated, you end up with about 2/3 cup of tamped down zucchini. If you need 1 cup of cooked sliced zucchini, due to shrinkage while heated it will take about 3 medium zucchini, sliced, to hit the mark.

What happens if you put too much baking soda in zucchini bread? ›

Bitter Taste: Excessive baking soda can leave a bitter taste in the bread. Baking soda is alkaline, and an excessive amount of it can result in an unpleasant flavor. Unpleasant Texture: Too much baking soda can lead to a coarse and crumbly texture in the bread.

Should zucchini bread be refrigerated? ›

Yes, it's advisable to refrigerate zucchini bread to extend its shelf life. Zucchini bread contains moisture from ingredients like zucchini, and moisture can promote the growth of mold and bacteria at room temperature. Refrigeration helps slow down these processes, keeping the bread fresher for a more extended period.

Where is the best place to store zucchini bread? ›

We'll go over this in more detail below, but in short - If you're looking for the safest way to store zucchini bread - just refrigerate it. Seal your bread in a plastic storage container or plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator.

What is the best way to shred zucchini for bread? ›

Check out the step by step tutorial below.
  1. Wash your zucchini really well.
  2. Cut off both ends.
  3. Slice the zucchini in half if it is really large.
  4. Then slice each half again vertically.
  5. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and place in a bowl.
  6. Then shred the pieces with a cheese grater or a food processor.

What if zucchini bread batter is too thick? ›

If it is too thick, add another egg. Add nuts, if desired. Lightly grease and flour your bread pans, or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully spoon the mixture into bread pans, stopping when the mixture is about 3/4 of the way to the top.

How do you grate zucchini for bread without a grater? ›

Food processor: You can use a food processor to dice the zucchini into smaller pieces. Using the grating attachment will create shreds. Cut off the ends of the zucchini, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and then into quarters before putting it in the food processor.

Do I need to peel zucchini before baking? ›

Nope! There's no need to peel zucchini. In fact, the skin is a big source of zucchini nutrition (the deep green color is a dead giveaway) so you definitely want to leave the skin on. How to cut zucchini: after giving the zucchini squash a good rinse under cold water, slice off the stem and discard it.

Why is my zucchini bread crumbling? ›

The most common reason for zucchini breadand other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter.

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