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Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

Pumpkin zucchini bread with pumpkin purée and shredded zucchini baked into a moist, tender loaf. Warm spices and optional nuts plus pepita topping create a soft crumb and cozy fall flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
light brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 2 eggs
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
pumpkin purée
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
shredded zucchini
  • 1.5 cup shredded zucchini excess moisture squeezed out
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • 0.5 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional)
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional) for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix dry ingredients
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a rack in the middle so the loaf bakes evenly.
  2. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. This helps the pumpkin zucchini bread release cleanly.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed.
Mix wet ingredients and combine
  1. In a bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin purée, and sour cream. Mix until smooth and glossy.
  2. Fold in the shredded zucchini. Make sure excess moisture has been squeezed out for a tender but not gummy crumb.
  3. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains.
  4. Fold in the chopped pecans or walnuts if using. Distribute them so they’re not all at the bottom.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Level the top for even baking.
  2. Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds (pepitas) if desired. Press lightly so they adhere.
  3. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The loaf should look set and lightly browned.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Let it rest so slices hold their shape.
Serve
  1. Slice and serve warm. Add butter, maple butter, or honey if you’d like.

Notes

For the moistest texture, squeeze the shredded zucchini very well before folding it in, and mix the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear to avoid a tough loaf. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). If you want a dairy-light option, replace sour cream with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt or lactose-free sour cream.