Zucchini Banana Bread

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Zucchini-Banana Bread combines the best qualities of two classic quick breads into one delicious loaf: it is the best of both worlds! Perfect whenever you need a little something sweet.

Loaf of zucchini-banana bread, sliced on a hand-painted plate.

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Zucchini Banana Bread

What's the Story on this Recipe?

Try as I might, I've never been able to replicate mom's banana bread. Something's always missing.

Maybe it's the smell of our turquoise kitchen, or the slick yellow and chrome kitchen table I sat at to eat. Maybe it's just my mom in her brown flour-covered apron. Her recipe is likely long lost, along with her fading memory, so unless I stumble on it tucked between the pages of one of her many hoarded cookbooks, it may well be gone forever. But I keep trying.

Zucchiana Bread? Banini Bread

During one of my attempts to replicate Mom's recipe, I ended up taking a significant detour. Instead of creating a banana bread recipe, I merged my banana and zucchini bread recipes into what turned out to be an amazingly moist, tender, and tasty zucchini-banana loaf.

I attribute the softer texture and richer flavor of this delicious Zucchini-Banana Bread to the fact that, for the first time in years, instead of subbing in yogurt as I usually do, I went with full-fat ingredients for this recipe.

If you are trying to cut fat, you can always sub it back in, but keep in mind that the relatively small amount of fat used is balanced by the fact that most of the moisture (and a lot of the sugar) in this bread comes from fruit and vegetable sources.

Small loaf of quick bread, unsliced. Empty pan to the side. Larger loaf still in the pan behind the small loaf.

FAQs & Expert Tips

Sprinkling demerara sugar on the loaves just before you pop them in the oven gives the baked loaves a thin glazed texture on top. (I think it makes the bite feel more interesting on the tongue, too.)

This Zucchini Banana Bread recipe will make:

2 standard loaves
1 standard loaf + 2 small loaves
5 small loaves
24 standard muffins
1 standard loaf + 12 standard muffins
12 jumbo muffins

… or any combination that makes you happy. You get the idea. (Adjust baking times according to the size of pans you are using.)

Does this quick bread freeze well?

Like most quick breads, zucchini-banana bread freezes very well.

To freeze a quick bread, begin by cooling the bread completely. Then wrap it first in plastic wrap, and again in a resealable plastic freezer bag or aluminum foil. (Remember to date the package!) Frozen quick bread is best if eaten within six months.

POST UPDATE: I did it! You can find Mom's Banana Bread recipe here.

four slices of zucchini-banana bread on a hand-painted plate.

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5 from 1 vote

This hybrid Zucchini-Banana Bread recipe combines the best qualities of two classic quick breads into one delicious loaf. Perfect whenever you need a little something sweet.

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Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:50

Total Time:1 5

Servings: slices

Calories: 138kcal

Author: Renee

Equipment

2 Standard Loaf Pan (9x5)

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

3 eggs
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup oil
½ cup white sugar
⅔ cup brown sugar packed
2 cups grated zucchini
3 ripe medium bananas mashed (or two large)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3½ cups flour
1 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup demerara sugar optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F | 165°C.
Grease and flour two 8x4 bread loaf pans (or spray them with nonstick cooking spray).
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixture, beat eggs until they are light yellow and frothy.
Add sour cream, oil, white and brown sugars, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine.
Do not over mix.
Fold in walnuts.
Divide batter evenly between loaf pans.
Sprinkle loaves with demerara sugar. (optional)
Bake in preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the loaf pans for 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing.
Allow to cool completely.