Easy Applesauce Zucchini Bread
This time of year, we’re always looking for zucchini recipes as our garden overflows with them! My zucchini bread made with unsweetened applesauce has become a family favorite. It’s so moist and flavorful and it comes together in under ten minutes.
You can toast and butter this zucchini bread, but you really don’t need to. It’s so good on its own that I find myself snacking on it on all day even if I have cupcakes in the house.
Ingredients
This recipe uses all basic baking ingredients that you may already have in your home.
It calls for both brown sugar and white sugar. I like the robust flavor that you get from the brown sugar, but you can replace it with more white sugar if you don’t have it.
You’ll need two medium-sized zucchinis, three or four small ones, or one giant one!
I suggest using unsweetened applesauce – smooth or chunky are both fine. If you only have sweetened apple sauce, reduce the sugar in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
This whole recipe only uses 1/4 cup of oil. Applesauce can act as a replacement for the oil or butter in baking. The result is not always desirable in cakes and cookies, but it works perfectly in this bread – keeping it nice and moist without the added fat.
How It’s Made
The first step is prepping your zucchini. Use a food processor with the the grater blade to grate the zucchini. After it’s grated, use a paper towel to squeeze out the excess moisture. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can use classic grater – it will just take longer.)
Next, the recipe is made in two bowls – no electric mixer needed.
Whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla in one bowl.
Whisk the flour, baking, soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in another bowl.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Finish by folding in the zucchini.
Bake in a greased loaf pan [paid link].
You’ll know the bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out dry.
Expert Tips and FAQs
Be sure that the zucchini is finely grated. You don’t want to find a big chunk of zucchini in the bread. Double check that the the food processor did its job before adding the zucchini to the batter.
Don’t over-mix. When you fold in the wet ingredients and when you add the zucchini, gently fold. If you over-mix the batter, it can make the bread gummy.
I use a 9.25″ x 5.25″ loaf pan. Some loaf pans are not quite as wide and deep. If yours is a little smaller (9″ vs 9.25″), you can still use it and you should be fine. If it’s significantly smaller (8″ or less), I suggest filling the pan 3/4 of the way to the top and making muffins with any extra batter. Keep in mind that smaller pans of batter will take less time to bake.
Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also slice it and freeze the slices in an airtight freezer bag. Pull out a slice at a time whenever you want a special treat.
Related Recipes
- Banana oatmeal muffins
- Homemade butter
- Strawberry banana bread
- Date nut bread
- Basil cupcakes (They are another favorite of mine for using up the spoils of a home garden.)
Applesauce Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups grated zucchini about 2 medium zucchinis
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together sugars, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
- Squeeze and blot grated zucchini with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
- Fold zucchini into the batter.
- Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Notes
- Be sure that the zucchini is finely grated. You don’t want to find a big chunk of zucchini in the bread. Double check that the the food processor did its job before adding the zucchini to the batter.
- Don’t overmix. When you fold in the wet ingredients and when you add the zucchini, gently fold. If you overmix the batter, it can make the bread gummy.
- I use a 9.25″ x 5.25″ loaf pan. Some loaf pans are not quite as wide and deep. If yours is a little smaller (9″ vs 9.25″), you can still use it and you should be fine. If it’s significantly smaller (8″ or less), I suggest filling the pan 3/4 of the way to the top and making muffins with any extra batter. Keep in mind that smaller pans of batter take less time to bake.
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