Description
This Banana Zucchini Bread recipe combines the sweetness of ripe bananas with the freshness of shredded zucchini, creating a moist and flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a snack. Enhanced with aromatic cinnamon and a luscious brown sugar glaze, this bread offers a delightful balance of moist texture and sweet-spiced topping.
Ingredients
Bread
- 175 grams ripe bananas (mashed)
- 300 grams all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 120 mL olive oil (any oil or melted butter works fine too)
- 250 grams granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 200 grams shredded zucchini
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Glaze
- 28 grams salted butter
- 25 grams brown sugar (light or dark)
- 60 mL heavy cream
- 60 grams powdered sugar (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mash Bananas: Mash the ripe bananas thoroughly until there are no large chunks left, ensuring a smooth texture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set this mix aside.
- Combine Oil and Sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil and granulated sugar until well combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add one egg at a time into the oil and sugar mixture, whisking after each addition until the batter lightens in color and is well incorporated.
- Add Bananas and Vanilla: Mix in the mashed bananas and pure vanilla extract thoroughly until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until the last streak of flour disappears, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in Zucchini: Gently fold the shredded zucchini into the batter to distribute evenly without overworking the batter.
- Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. Use a conventional setting or a mix of convection and conventional baking to avoid bottom heat issues.
- Cool Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about one hour before applying the glaze.
- Make Brown Sugar Glaze: In a small pot over medium heat, whisk the butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream until smooth and bubbling at the edges, ensuring the sugar fully dissolves.
- Mix Glaze with Powdered Sugar: Place powdered sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Slowly pour half of the warm brown sugar mixture into the powdered sugar while stirring to form a thick paste. Add the remaining sugar mixture and mix thoroughly to get a smooth glaze without lumps.
- Add Vanilla and Drizzle: Stir in vanilla extract into the glaze and drizzle evenly over the cooled zucchini banana bread.
Notes
- Make sure bananas are very ripe for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour to ensure a tender crumb.
- Use room temperature eggs to help the batter mix more evenly.
- Adjust baking time slightly depending on your oven; bread is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- The glaze can be adjusted in thickness by adding more powdered sugar or warm brown sugar mixture as needed.
- Storage: Keep the bread covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for about a week.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
