Spiced Apple Zucchini Bread
Beautiful spiced apple zucchini bread made with fresh zucchini, bites of juicy apple and plenty of cozy spices. This fluffy, healthy apple zucchini bread recipe is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and topped with a warm, luxurious cinnamon cream cheese glaze! The perfect loaf to transition from summer to fall.
Servings 12 slices
Calories 270cal
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 cup (250g) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (156g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56g) virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled (melted butter will also work)
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup (210g) all purpose flour (or sub gf all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Mix-ins:
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped into ¼ inch pieces (about 1 cup chopped apple)
- ⅓ cup (37g) chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired
- For the cream cheese glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-3 teaspoons milk of choice, to thin glaze
- To garnish:
- Extra chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8 ¼ x 4 ½ inch with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- First, measure out 1 heaping cup of shredded zucchini, then place shredded zucchini in a paper towel, clean dish towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out ALL of the moisture/water. This is very important!
- Add shredded zucchini, applesauce, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Next, add in the melted coconut oil and mix again until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger nutmeg and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Fold in pecans and chopped apples.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Mine took an hour, but this will vary based on your oven.
- Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then remove bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- To make cinnamon cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and milk together on medium speed for a minute or until smooth. If you want a warm glaze, you can warm in the microwave in 10-20 second intervals until warm. Pour or spread over cooled bread. Sprinkle chopped pecans. Cut into 10-12 slices and enjoy!
Notes
To make gluten free: I think this bread would be okay with a gluten free all purpose flour.
To make nut free: leave out the pecans.
To make dairy free: use a vegan butter stick such as Earth Balance and a vegan cream cheese for the frosting.
See the full post for more ways to customize this bread, plus freezing instructions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (with glaze) | Calories: 270cal | Carbohydrates: 36.2g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 12.7g | Saturated Fat: 7.2g | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 19.8g