Carrot and Apple Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

carrotapplezucchinibread This Carrot Apple Zucchini Bread recipe is incredibly moist and flavourful. Vibrant colours from the carrot, apple, and zucchini makes this quick bread irresistible. The carrots and zucchini are really interchangeable so if you'd like to use more of one than the other, no problem. You could, in fact, eliminate one entirely if you wish. I also like to use pecans in this recipe but walnuts would be great too. The frosting on this bread is really simple but spectacular at the same time. I have left it off many times because honestly, the bread doesn't need it. That being said, it not only makes the bread look extra special, it adds a bit of sweetness that makes it extra appealing to everybody who tries it.

1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3¼ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ tsp. sea salt
2½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup zucchini, shredded
1 cup Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled and diced
½ cup pecans, chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting:
½ cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
2-3 cups confectioners' sugar
1-3 Tbsp. orange juice, freshly squeezed

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Grease and flour two 8x4" loaf pans. Line with parchment paper and set aside. (I use the baking spray with flour in it.)

Place zucchini in a large kitchen towel. Bring up the four corners and twist. Squeeze the towel to extract all the liquid from the zucchini, or as much as you can. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.

Add eggs, orange juice, and vanilla and whisk until combined.

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients along with the shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, apples, and pecans. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake until golden brown, 55-60 minutes, or until loaves spring back when gently pressed with fingers.

Let cool completely before icing.

Make the Cream Cheese Glaze/Frosting:
Cream together cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer.

Add in 2 cups of powdered sugar and continue mixing. Drizzle in orange juice until desired consistency is achieved.

Frost bread and enjoy.

Makes 24 servings from 2 loaves.

Cook's Notes: The carrots and zucchini in this recipe are interchangeable. Feel free to use less or more of each. You just want three cups total.