If carrot cake and zucchini bread had a baby, this would be it! This easy zucchini bread is packed with shredded zucchini, carrots, warm spices, chopped pecans, and raisins, then finished with a sweet cream cheese glaze. Enjoy as a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert!

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I’ve always had a soft spot for carrot cake, so I’m not exactly sure why it took me this long to turn it into a loaf of zucchini bread. But here we are, and I’m very happy about it!

This Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread takes the classic flavors of carrot cake but dials up the fun fall vibes. There’s lots of shredded carrot and zucchini, plus cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pecans, and raisins tucked into every slice.

The result is everything you know and love about carrot cake, transformed into an easy-to-make loaf that’s great for snacking, breakfast, or dessert. It’s cozy, flavorful, and finished with a delicious cream cheese drizzle, of course!

Add this recipe to your fall baking list, then make sure you come back and tell me how you like it!

Why you’ll love this Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread

It combines the classic flavors of carrot cake with the tender texture of zucchini bread.
It’s a fun and delicious way to sneak in some extra veggies.
It works as a tasty breakfast, a sweet afternoon snack, or a simple homemade dessert.
It’s filled with fall flavors, thanks to cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
It comes together fast, with just 15 minutes of prep time and a handful of ingredients you might already have on hand.

Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread ingredients

Zucchini adds moisture and sneaks some extra veggies into this sweet loaf. Give it a little squeeze before stirring it into the batter so the bread doesn’t end up too wet!
Carrots provide sweetness, moisture, and fiber while also bringing the classic carrot cake vibes.
Eggs are used to help bind everything together.
Olive oil keeps the bread soft and tender. Any neutral oil will work here!
Brown sugar and granulated sugar add just the right amount of sweetness to each slice.
Vanilla extract brings a bit of extra flavor to help round it all out.
Whole-wheat flour provides a bit more fiber than all-purpose flour while still keeping the bread soft and tender.
Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg team up to bring out the carrot cake flavors even more.
Baking soda and baking powder work together to help the bread rise and give it a light, tender texture.
Pecans add crunch, along with healthy fats and some protein.
Raisins add a nice chewy texture.
Cream cheese creates the base for the drizzle. Make sure it’s fully softened to avoid any clumps!
Powdered sugar sweetens the cream cheese drizzle and gives it a smooth, pourable texture.
Milk thins the cream cheese mixture into an easy-to-drizzle consistency. Start with a little and add more slowly as needed.

How to serve this Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread

Serve a slice with a cup of coffee or tea for a tasty afternoon snack.
Pair it with Greek yogurt and your favorite fresh fruits as a more filling breakfast.
Skip the cream cheese drizzle and enjoy a slice on its own for a snack that’s a little less sweet.
Add fresh berries or sliced banana on the side to round it out.
Slather a bit of peanut or almond butter on top for extra protein and heart-healthy fats.

Substitutions & variations

Eggs – I have not personally tried making this without eggs, but you may be able to swap in flax eggs for a vegan version. Keep in mind the texture will probably be denser and it might not bind together as well!
Olive oil – Any neutral oil will work, including avocado oil or melted coconut oil.
Whole-wheat flour – I like using whole-wheat flour for a bit of extra fiber, but all-purpose flour works great too! You can also use a 50/50 mix of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour if you prefer.
Pecans – If you’re fresh out of pecans, chopped walnuts are an easy swap. Alternatively, you can simply leave the nuts out if you have an allergy or prefer nut-free zucchini bread.
Raisins – Swap in chopped dates, dried cranberries, or golden raisins for a different flavor and texture.
Spices – Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking! You can also throw in a pinch of ground cloves for even more warmth.
Cream cheese drizzle – The cream cheese drizzle is totally optional, so feel free to skip it if you like a less sweet loaf.

Quick recipe tips

Don’t squeeze the zucchini completely dry! A little moisture helps keep the bread nice and tender.

Make sure you shred the zucchini and carrots very finely so they blend seamlessly into the batter.

Let the bread cool completely before adding the cream cheese drizzle so it stays on top.

Give the drizzle about 30 minutes to set before slicing for cleaner pieces.

Step-by-step instructions

Prep the veggies: Finely shred the zucchini and carrot. Squeeze excess moisture from the zucchini using a paper towel or cheesecloth.
Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk together the eggs, olive oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Combine the batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Add the mix-ins: Fold in the zucchini, carrot, pecans, and raisins.

Bake: Transfer the batter to a parchment-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Add the drizzle: Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick, pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cooled bread and let set for 30 minutes before serving.

Make ahead & storage

This Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread is perfect for making ahead and enjoying throughout the week. Here are a few quick tips for storing and freezing it.

Meal prep

Bake ahead: Bake the loaf up to 2 days in advance and store it tightly covered at room temperature or in the fridge.
Make the drizzle ahead: The cream cheese drizzle can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Storing leftovers

Room temperature: Store the bread in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Fridge: Refrigerate leftover bread in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Pop the slices in the microwave or let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

Freezing

Freeze the loaf: Wrap the undrizzled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
Freeze individual slices: Slice the bread before freezing so you can thaw individual pieces as needed.
Add the drizzle later: Thaw the bread completely, then add the cream cheese drizzle right before serving for the best texture.

FAQ

Nope! There’s no need to peel the zucchini before shredding it. The peel actually blends right into the bread and adds a little extra color.

Sure. The raisins and pecans add sweetness and crunch, but you can skip either one if you prefer.

Yes! For the best texture, freeze the bread without the cream cheese drizzle. Wrap the cooled loaf, freeze, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the drizzle before serving.

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Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread

This Carrot Cake Zucchini Bread is packed with shredded zucchini and carrot, warm spices, pecans, and raisins for a fun twist on classic zucchini bread. Finished with a delicious cream cheese drizzle, it’s an easy, not-too-sweet treat that’s perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 330kcal

Ingredients

1½ cups finely shredded zucchini lightly squeezed
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 large eggs
½ cup olive oil
½ cup light brown sugar packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup raisins

For the cream cheese drizzle

2 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Finely shred the zucchini and carrot. Wrap the zucchini in a paper towel or cheesecloth and gently squeeze out some of the excess moisture, but don’t wring it completely dry.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
Fold in the zucchini, carrot, pecans, and raisins until evenly distributed.
Transfer to a parchment-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling.
Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let the glaze set for 30 minutes before serving.