This Zucchini pineapple bread recipe with applesauce is so amazing!! The best way to make moist zucchini bread with fruit in it! Each slice brings a great sweetness naturally with pineapple tidbits for breakfast or dessert this week.
It had been a long time since I made zucchini bread but when summer arrives we have a lot of it in our garden and the more great recipes the better. For years I made it like everyone else out of the “red cookbook” but then changed it to this zucchini pineapple bread, it’s pretty amazing! (affiliate links present)
Easy Pineapple Zucchini Bread Recipe
It had been a long time since I made a loaf of this but when summer arrives we have a lot of zucchini in our vegetable garden. The more you grow, the more great recipes you can make each season. Yes you can buy them in the store too but when we get a craving to bake in the oven or make air fryer zucchini bread this is our fave.
It’s a rather cheap vegetable if you need to purchase a few, and full of water. The biggest secret to the best zucchini bread is making sure you absorb a lot of that moisture. It will weigh it down and thin out the batter. I will show you how to do that below. Use it to make our pumpkin zucchini muffins ad this to get raving reviews from everyone.
One Loaf Zucchini Pineapple Bread
Just cut recipe in half if you just want one. You will need about one zucchini and about a half of a cup of crushed pineapple. If you have a fresh pineapple that is great, if not a can of pineapple tidbits will do, that is typically what I use. Because of the added fruit it won’t rise quite as much as a traditional loaf, it will look like you see above.
How does pineapple affect baking?
Why I include pineapple is that you can use less oil, it brings an added sweetness, and makes it more moist too. I guess I just also love all the island flavors too because I was born in Hawaii and it was everywhere. It will make your bread more dense, keep that in mind, but it is worth it……..
Use the tidbits from the can or you can chop up larger pieces into about that size. I’ve modified this recipe several times throughout the year but this one is just spot on and haven’t altered it since.
If you have an ample amount of zucchini or are looking for ways to incorporate more veggies into your or your child’s diet this is a great recipe for you. They will never know it is in there, totally hidden, but they will notice how fluffy and tasty they are.Here’s why we love it and how to make it.
This makes two loaf pans so I usually keep one and freeze one. Once defrosted for the second loaf it tastes just as moist as when it was just baked. Enjoy. There’s a video below showing you how I make it, I suggest you watch that first.
Ingredients
- Zucchini – if you grow some in your garden this is a great way to use it
- shredded and paper towels to absorb liquid
- Flour – this is how to measure flour properly
- Brown sugar for sweetness
- Baking soda and baking powder to rise
- Sugar
- Eggs added at room temp.
- Vegetable oil or applesauce
- Applesauce – makes it moister
- Pineapple – I use pineapple tidbits without pineapple juice in a can
- Vanilla
- Almond extract – optional but we love the addition
- Chopped walnuts are optional
You will want a large bowl for wet and a small for flour mixture. If you are only making one loaf, divide batter in half and just make one. It does freeze well though if you want to save one for later.
NO, that will help it stay together. You will need to remove a lot of the moisture though. Just use a grater to shred on top of a few paper towels folded up. Then fold the shreds up inside and gently press down with hands to remove excess water. This is a must step, don’t skip over it or it will sink to the bottom and make the bread dense and sticky.
Yes, this is necessary for best results. I typically will roll it up into a few paper towels and press down over the sink in case it is very wet. You don’t want to smash them and break into pieces but also don’t want to add more water into your batter either. Unwrap when done and fold in at the end gently.
How to Make Zucchini Bread with Pineapple
- Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Incorporate together with fruit and vegetables folded in at the end.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray 2 loaf pans with non stick spray or lay a piece of parchment paper inside. Pour mixture in (half full) or fill muffin pan with papers inside 3/4 full each.
- Time to bake at 350 degrees is about 50 minutes or until golden brown on top lloaf. (ovens vary so check at 45 minutes and cook longer if needed).
- Muffins take about 18 minutes or until they spring back when touched.
- When toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with some crumbs attached it is done. (don’t want to over bake)
Can you bake this into muffins?
This is how long to bake mini muffins which are really fun sizes too in about 11 minutes. For regular sizes you are looking at closer to 18 minutes at 350 F. where jumbo are at 22 minutes or so. When the center springs back they are done, then remove from hot muffin tin and set on cooling rack for moist bites.
How do You Store Leftover Zucchini Bread?
You are going to have to allow this to completely cool in pans. Best to place on wire racks to cool, then remove and slice. This may take 30 minutes for loaves but is an important step to come to room temperature and continue to cook yet stay moist. If you don’t eat it all remember to only slice what you’re going to eat.
It will stay moist longer if kept in one larger piece. Slide what you have left into a freezer bag and suck all of the air out of it. That is important, air is the enemy. For best results keep on the countertop for a few days and cut when you’re ready to enjoy again. To stay fresh longer put into the fridge but that will dry it out easier.
What to Make with A Lot of Zucchini
- If you haven’t tried a batch of tempura batter salt and pepper zucchini chips you’re missing out!
- We love zucchini blueberry muffins and apple zucchini muffins for sure.
- Our latest creation of air fryer zucchini chips are probably our favorite snacks.
If you do plan to grow them they are great, but you do get a lot. Make sure you check every other day at least because they grow fast and not as good once they get beyond a medium size. Larger means more water and less flavor.
The pineapple gives it an incredible flavor as well as making it super moist, just make sure you do NOT overcook it because the moisture will disappear. Remember it will cook a bit longer once you take it out of the oven and leave it in the pan to cool. Cut and serve warm!
Zucchini Pineapple Bread
Equipment
- 2 bowls
- 1 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 c all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 c brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 c sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 c zucchini, shredded finely
- 1/4 c oil
- 8 oz pineapple , tidbits or crushed, drained without juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 c applesauce
- 1/2 tsp almond extract, optional, we like it
Instructions
- Add all wet ingredients: eggs, sugars, spices and oil in 1 bowl and mix on low or by hand.
- Add all dry ingredients in a different bowl, stir, then combine slowly together together in with the wet. Put a few paper towels under a shredder and shred zucchini, then fold up paper towels and gently press down to remove excess water. Gently fold into batter with pineapple tidbits.
- Spray 2 loaf pans well with non stick spray. Pour mixture in (half full) and cook at 350 degrees for 50 min or until golden brown on top. (ovens vary so check at 45 minutes and cook longer if needed). Do not overbake, toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean with some crumbs.
- Muffins take approx. 18 min. or until tops are lightly browned and bounce back when touched lightly in center. Allow to sit in loaf pans on cooling rack when taken out to finish cooking and cooled before slicing. Do NOT overcook.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It needs salt, I didn’t notice that it was missing until after I made it. Other than that, I like the recipe. If I make it again I’ll add salt and walnuts.
I just got a kitchen-aid mixer for my birthday and this is my first bread recipe and it was awesome! I’m making the muffins tomorrow!
Oh yay glad it was a hit for you
I was confused by the zucchini pineapple recipe directions you say to fold in the grated zucchini and pineapple at the end, so it doesn’t sink to the bottom, but your video shows mixing the eggs, oil, zucchini and pineapple, and the mixing in the dry ingredients.
You are correct, though they were with the wet ingredients, I see the confusion. This video was made a LONG time ago and over the years I have experimented beyond this and found that you get a better result mixing everything into a batter and then gently folding veggies and fruit in at the very end.
I can’t wait to try this, but how much zucchini Do you use? I have all sizes of zucchini.
I like to use medium all the time so they aren’t as full of water and a bit firmer
I followed the ingredient list adding the cinnamon and allspice to the wet ingredients which made the batter much darker than yours and completely over powered the pineapple and almond flavour. Next time,I will leave those two spices out. The cake was very moist and I will definitely try it again.