This Easy Zucchini Banana Bread is light and fluffy, courtesy of whipped egg whites folded into the batter. It’s an old fashioned recipe that’s perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
Moist and rich, with mashed ripe bananas and flecks of fresh zucchini, this Easy Zucchini Banana Bread recipe is seriously GOOD!
It’s the perfect mash-up of zucchini bread and banana bread. And, it uses a special technique to get a soft and fluffy loaf: the addition of beaten egg whites, stirred into the batter right before baking.
It’s quick bread at its finest, and it’s delightful as a quick breakfast or easy afternoon snack.
It’s also a great way to enjoy the abundance of summer zucchini in July and August. My Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake is another way!
Want just zucchini muffins? Don’t miss Grandma’s Zucchini Muffins with Coconut and Walnuts!
And if you’re after a classic banana bread, check out Banana Bread with Pecans.
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Top tips
- Make sure that the zucchini is wrung out well before adding it to the batter. More tips on that below!
- When whipping the egg whites, make sure there are no yolks in the bowl. If there is any trace of the yolks, the whites won’t whip up like they should.
- You can easily double this recipe to make 2 loaves. Click the “2X” on the recipe card to get the exact amounts.
Ingredients
- You’ll need 2 ripe bananas (ones with brown spots are perfect) and 2 small zucchini. You can substitute 1 medium to large sized zucchini instead.
- A little bit of sour cream makes this loaf extra moist. You can also substitute Greek yogurt.
- We’ll use both baking powder and baking soda for leavening.
- All of the other ingredients are your baking standards: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt.
How to make Easy Zucchini Banana Bread
Most quick breads are easy recipes, requiring just a bowl and a spoon. Since we’ll be whipping egg whites, we’ll use a stand mixer to make this recipe extra easy. You can also use a hand mixer.
Start by grating the zucchini. I used a box grater. Place the zucchini in a colander and press on it with a spatula to release the liquid from the zucchini.
Next, place 2 egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make sure there are NO egg yolks in there, since the whites won’t whip up if there are yolks.
Whip the egg whites until light and fluffy.
Place the egg whites in another bowl.
In the now-empty stand mixer bowl (no need to clean it out), place the butter and sugar. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla, bananas, and grated zucchini. Mix until combined.
There’s no need to mash the banana before adding it, because the mixer will do it for you.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix just until combined, taking care not to over mix it.
Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites with a spatula. This addition will make the loaf light and fluffy instead of overly dense.
Bake the zucchini banana bread for 50–60 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the loaf cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Can I make zucchini banana bread ahead of time?
This easy Zucchini Banana Bread is perfect for making ahead. You can bake this loaf up to 48 hours in advance of serving it. Wrap it tightly in foil and store at room temperature.
Can I freeze zucchini banana bread?
To freeze, wrap the loaf in aluminum foil and place in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Defrost at room temperature overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no need to peel the zucchini, but you can if you wish. The skin is thin enough that it won’t make a difference in the batter.
There are several methods for squeezing the moisture out of zucchini.
1) Place it in a colander and press on it (hard) with a spatula
2) Wring it out in a clean kitchen towel
3) Wring it out with your (clean) hands
A box grater is the easiest way to shred zucchini. Use the medium sized holes on the grater.
Substitute an equal amount of Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for variations for this Easy Zucchini Banana Bread. All of these should be added to the batter before baking.
- Add ⅔ cup of chocolate chips (mini or regular)
- Use yellow squash instead of zucchini
- Stir in ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Add 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
More quick bread recipes
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Grandma’s Zucchini Muffins
- Date Nut Bread (this is also Grandma’s recipe)
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Pear Bread
- Apple Cinnamon Bread with Streusel
- Cherry Bread (made with maraschino cherries)
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Zucchini Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Finely grate the zucchini. Place in a colander and drain well, pressing on the zucchini with a spatula to release the water.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Place the egg whites in another bowl.
- In the same bowl as you whipped the egg whites in, place the sugar and butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla, bananas, and grated zucchini. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix just until combined, taking care not to over mix it.
- Use a spatula to fold in the beaten egg whites. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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