Looking for an moist, delicious zucchini banana bread recipe? You’ve come to the right place! This incredible zucchini banana bread with cinnamon crumb topping is an amazing way to enjoy fresh zucchini.
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Do you have more zucchini than you know what to do with? Make this amazing zucchini banana bread. Adapted from my viral, award winning banana bread recipe, this zucchini banana bread recipe is just as moist and flavorful.
This recipe makes two medium loaves. Perfect for enjoying one and giving another to a friend or neighbor. These loaves also freeze well and are great for packing in lunch boxes.
What you’ll need to make this zucchini banana bread:
- 3 Ripe bananas, very brown and spotty
- 2 medium zucchini
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Lemon juice (trust me on this, this ingredient is a game-changer!)
- All-purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Light brown sugar
- Softened butter
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
Most of these ingredients are pretty standard for making a traditional banana bread or zucchini bread recipe. However, I do get MANY questions about adding lemon juice to banana bread.
Why add lemon juice to banana bread?
I’m here to tell you that adding the juice of a 1/2 lemon will balance the flavor of your bread perfectly. The acidity from the citrus balances out the sweetness of the bananas and adds to the depth of flavor.
In my Award-Winning Banana Bread recipe, I also use lemon juice. It just might be the ingredient that helped me win multiple purple ribbons for this recipe. Be sure to also check out my super moist Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
How do you shred zucchini?
Using a grater, press and slide the surface of the zucchini over the holes of the grater. This will create fine shreds of zucchini.
The shredded zucchini will be quite watery. Before baking shredded zucchini, you’ll need to press out and remove the excess water. You can do this by placing the shredded zucchini in a fine-mesh sieve.
By pressing on the shredded zucchini the excess water will drain out the bottom of the sieve, rendering the zucchini that is ready to be added to the bread batter.
Love baking with zucchini? Check out my recipe for Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.
To make the batter for zucchini banana bread, simply mix the wet ingredients together. Using a whisk will work best for incorporating the wet ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using a rubber scraper is the best tool to mix the bread batter.
To ensure your bread stays moist, do your best to NOT overmix the batter. Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated with the wet ingredients, stop mixing.
How do I make healthy zucchini banana bread?
By swapping out a few ingredients you can cut out significant calories and fat. Here are some options:
- Granulated Sugar – swap the regular sugar for a granular monk fruit sweetener, like Whole Earth Monk Fruit Stevia Sweetener.
- Vegetable Oil – instead of using vegetable oil, use a healthier unflavored coconut oil. I use and enjoy Carrington Farms Unflavored Coconut Oil, which is great for baking.
- Brown Sugar – instead of using brown sugar in the crumble topping, swap it for Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Preparing loaf pans:
I’ve been making various forms of quick bread for over 30 years. In my experience, the best tool to lift and remove bread from a pan is parchment paper.
Line your loaf pans with sheets of parchment paper. Securing the paper with binder clips helps the paper stay in place when pouring in the batter. Once the batter is in the pans, remove the clips, as they are not oven-safe.
Adding crumble or streusel to zucchini banana bread:
When testing, we discovered that a cinnamon crumble baked on top of the bread adds amazing flavor and texture.
Making a streusel topping is quite easy and needs minimal ingredients. You’ll need flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and softened (not melted) butter. Mix these ingredients together until a crumbly, gravel-like texture is attained.
Crumble over the top of the batter just before placing the loaves in the oven. The streusel will become a beautiful golden brown as it bakes, and add a nice crunch to the top of each slice of bread.
Love streusel and crumb toppings? Check out some of our other popular recipes with streusel toppings:
- Cinnamon Apple Bread
- Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Muffins Recipe
- Strawberry Coffee Cake
- Dutch Apple Pie Bars
- Velvety Pumpkin Crumb Cake
- Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake Donuts
Frequently asked questions about making zucchini bread:
Yes. When shredding zucchini for breads and muffins you leave the skin on.
How long you bake zucchini bread depends on the size of loaf pan(s) you are using. If you are using two, medium-sized 5x8u0022 loaf pans, the bread will need to bake for 45-48 minutes at 350 degrees. If making 1 large 5x9u0022 loaf pan, it will need closer to 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
Yes. You can freeze zucchini bread. For best results, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer zip-top bag or freezer-safe container. The bread will keep for up to 3 months frozen.
Your zucchini bread is likely too moist for two reasons. First, you didn’t press the moisture out of the zucchini after shredding. Zucchini contains a fair amount of water that needs to be pressed out before baking.
The other culprit in overly moist zucchini bread is that it was not baked long enough. To ensure bread is done baking, test with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the loaf when done baking. If the toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free, the bread is done baking.
You will likely need 2-3 medium-sized zucchini. Remember than once you shred the zucchini, you will need to press out the moisture,
Be sure to check out my Google Web Story for how to make this delicious Zucchini Banana Bread.
Wondering what to serve with this zucchini banana bread recipe? These drinks are a perfect fit:
- Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
- Starbucks Pink Drink
- Raspberry Mint Iced Tea
- Ginger Peach Iced Tea
- Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Recipe
- Skinny Starbucks Strawberry Frappuccino
- Vanilla Bean Iced Coffee
- Sparkling Peach Lemonade at LilLuna.com
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Zucchini Banana Bread
Equipment
- Loaf Pan This 9" non-stick loaf pan by Wilton is the perfect size for any banana bread recipe!
- Parchment Paper Sheets These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are super convenient and the perfect size for lining a loaf pan.
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Rubber Scrapers These Cuisinart rubber scraper spatulas are fantastic for fillings, batters, and so much more!
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 medium shredded zucchini moisture pressed out (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Crumb Topping:
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup butter softened (not melted)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two, 8"x5" loaf pans with parchment paper. It is helpful to secure the paper with binder clips. Set prepared pans aside.
- Using a grater, shred zucchini into a fine-mesh sieve. Press into the mesh of the sieve releasing any excess water. Set zucchini aside leaving in the sieve to let any remaining water drain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and lemon juice. Whisk together well. Add in the pressed, shredded zucchini and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a rubber scraper, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Do your best to not overmix.
- Divide batter into prepared loaf pans.
- In a separate bowl, make the crumble topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and softened butter. Use a fork to make mixture crumbly. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top of each loaf.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45-48 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free the bread is done baking. Color will be golden brown.
- Let loaves cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
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