Warm spices and a touch of pure maple syrup make this rustic loaf of Carrot Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting irresistibly good!
The first official day of spring is just days away and to celebrate, I baked this lovely Carrot Zucchini Bread. I actually baked two loaves of this tasty quick bread; one I topped with a luxurious cream cheese frosting and the other I left bare naked. Why? Because somehow I gave birth to a human that doesn’t like cream cheese frosting.
How this is possible, I will never understand. But these things happen in life and my answer for this situation and pretty much all others is to bake more and to bake often.
Please ignore my child and go with the frosted version.
If you want to save some calories it really is delicious both with and without the frosting. And, I think it may possibly qualify as a cake once you add a thick layer of frosting. Maybe?
The quick bread base is seasoned with warm spices – cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and finished with a touch of pure maple syrup.
I love the effect shredded veggies have on quick breads. A fabulous moist texture and rustic look.
I opted to add some chopped walnuts but you can leave them out if you prefer.
I also like to sprinkle more chopped walnuts on the frosting before it sets up.
Give this one a try. It’s a wonderful way to welcome spring.
Here’s a little more inspiration for baking with veggies:
- Lemon Zucchini Coffee Cake | Valerie’s Kitchen
- Caramel Zucchini Poke Cake | Simple Joy
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies | Two Peas and Their Pod
- Carrot Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting | Mom on Timeout
- Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread | Christy Jordan’s Southern Plate
Carrot Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting
Carrot Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting
Ingredients
Carrot Zucchini Bread
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Add eggs and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add oil, pure maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix again until well blended. Add about half of the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture and continue to mix until combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir carrot and zucchini into the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from pan. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
- Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese together with butter in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and mix again until incorporated. Add milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat until creamy.
- Frost the cooled loaf of bread and immediately sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
What can I substitute the oil for
You would have a very different outcome by using something other than oil in this recipe. Unfortunately, without testing I couldn’t make any recommendations.
Best loaf I have made in awhile! Almost cakey constancy makes it great and the spices weren’t overpowering. Will be my go to for using my garden veggies 🙂
How do you store it?
I recommend covering and refrigerating items that are iced with cream cheese frosting.
Would adding less zucchini & more carrot work. Maybe a cup of each?
As long as the combined amounts are the same I think it might! I hope you let me know how it works out for you.
I am a noob when it comes to baking and cooking, anything at all! It’s my 1st time making carrot cake western style. Stumbled upon your page and the instructional video made me really wanna try! Was so glad I did! I struggled with getting the ingredients correct and took a long time to convert all to actual weight cos very conscious that any wrong measurements would make the final product go awry. Wasn’t sure the veggies were of right weight and it did turn out a bit dense at the bottom but overall was ok. The frosting was yummy though it was so much I could frost for 2 loaves! Thank you Valerie for your easygoing style. Very encouraging for someone like me who failed umpteen times. And this recipe smelled so great before and after baking, and tasted so nice without seeing or tasting veggies, that even my kids who hates vegetables liked it! Gonna bake this again soon!
I don’t like maple syrup (pure or otherwise), could I use 100% pure raw honey instead?
I’m sure honey would work just fine as a substitute.
Just made your recipe for carrot zucchini bread, absolutely delicious, will definitely be one of my go to bread recipes!!!