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Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Apple cinnamon zucchini bread with a cinnamon swirl baked through a tender crumb studded with diced apple. This easy quick bread stays moist from grated, squeezed-dry zucchini and bakes up golden in a classic 9x5 loaf pan.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup apple, peeled and finely diced
Cinnamon Swirl
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar, packed
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
Caramel Drizzle
  • 0.25 cup caramel sauce (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and mix swirl
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, then set it aside. This prevents sticking and ensures the loaf rises evenly.
  2. Mix the cinnamon swirl ingredients together and set aside. The mixture should look like damp cinnamon sugar for easy sprinkling.
Mix batter
  1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Break up any clumps so the spices distribute throughout the loaf.
  2. Beat the brown sugar, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Mix just until glossy and uniform.
  3. Stir in the grated squeezed zucchini and finely diced apple. The batter will thicken slightly as the fruit settles.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep the crumb tender.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pour half the batter into the pan, then sprinkle the cinnamon swirl on top. Spread it lightly so you get streaks throughout the loaf.
  2. Add the remaining batter to the pan, then swirl with a knife. Use 3-4 gentle passes to create visible cinnamon ribbons.
  3. Bake at 350°F for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The loaf should be golden and smell strongly spiced.
Cool and finish
  1. Cool the bread for 15 minutes in the pan before slicing. This sets the center so apple pieces stay juicy and the swirl doesn’t smear.
  2. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired. Add it after cooling so it stays glossy instead of melting off.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze grated zucchini well so the loaf bakes through without turning gummy. Store wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). For a lighter option, replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt 1:1 for similar moisture and a slightly tangier crumb.