Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread
Tantalize your taste buds with this dense and delicious Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread! It’s the perfect way to enjoy summer zucchini!
When life or a neighbor gives you zucchini, make zucchini bread! Especially when it’s a lighter, healthier zucchini bread.

Why You Must Make
- I’ve been taste-testing zucchini bread this summer, but the first was too oily, the next was weighed down with too much zucchini and not enough leavening.
- If you’re not a fan of savory zucchini recipes, this sweet zucchini bread recipe will help you use up your garden zucchini, or zucchini you’ve been gifted from friends or neighbors.
- It’s a tad healthier than other recipes with some whole wheat flour added to the mix!
- Then, last but not least, I baked this picture-perfect Sugar-Crusted Zucchini Bread.

Zucchini Bread Recipe with a Healthy Twist
With the addition of some King Arthur Flour’s White Whole Wheat Flour and half the amount of oil when compared to my Classic Zucchini Bread Recipe, this is healthier zucchini bread. Katie was not as thrilled with it as I was, but she’s my toughest critic.
I think she’d prefer that I serve her actual cake for breakfast! I used a recommendation from one of the previous recipes and dusted the buttered pans with a nice coating of sugar before adding the batter. This Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread was moist and flavorful with a sweet crust. Finally, a winner! You’ll also enjoy these Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins and this Banana Nut Bread. And for a savory option, these Zucchini Fritters are winners!
Recipe Tips
- PRO-Tip: Quick bread batter should not be over-mixed. Use a rubber spatula, not a mixer, to add in the dry ingredients.
- Over-mixing will cause tunnels in your loaves and create a peaked top instead of a rounded-topped muffin.
- This recipe calls for both Baking Soda and Baking Powder. Unlike baking soda, baking powder usually expires before you can use it all. Check the expiration date before starting this recipe.
- PRO-Tip: To test your baking powder, put a spoonful into a glass/container of very hot water. If it’s still active, it will bubbly vigorously. If it doesn’t, replace before starting this recipe
Here is the Archies who inspired me to dust my loaf pans with sugar after listening to this song from 1969! (Not sure if this video will still play!)
Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread Recipe
A moist, delicious quick bread with a sugar topping!
Ingredients
- Butter and Sugar to coat the pans
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's fresh)*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ¾ pound zucchini (about 2 medium), coarsely grated
Instructions
- Butter two 5 x 9-inch loaf pans then coat with sugar. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Whisk together the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the sugars, whisking till mixture becomes a pale yellow color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the oil and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Mix in zucchini, then add the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Mix till just combined.
- Divide batter between the two pans and bake for 60-70 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before removing the loaves to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Bread tastes best when served at room temperature and is even better the next day.
Notes
* Baking powder has a much shorter shelf life than baking soda. Make sure to check the expiration date on the can. You can also check its potency by putting a spoonful in a cup of hot water. If it's still active, it will bubble vigorously. If it doesn't, replace it before starting the recipe.
Adapted from Once Upon a Plate
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 189Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 151mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 3g

43 Comments on “Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread”
Your zucchini bread is gorgeous! WOW!!
What a sweet crust to this zucchini bread!
Late summer would never be complete without a yummy zucchini bread or cake recipe! I’m sure that this would never last over a day or two in my home! I’ve signed up for the Sunday Supper group, but need to do more reading up on how to participate, among all of the other things on my ‘to do’ list…..LOL since it seems that list keeps getting longer!!!!
Hope you’re doing well, Liz!!!!
xoxo
Roz
Oh, I haven’t had zucchini bread in FAR, FAR TOO LONG. I need to change that, because my stomach just growled looking at your photos!
Thanks for getting is just right for us (all of us besides Katie), it sounds wonderful, I love the sugar coating!
Oh, I love zucchini bread! I’ll need to try adding a sugar crust to mine. A little more sugar never hurts!
Always in need of zucchini recipes… especially right now! Glad you found a good one:@)
I adore zucchini bread, and think a little sugar crust just puts the icing on that cake…mmmm!
Perfect! The zucchini is coming fast and furious out back!
Gosh, I remember that song! Haven’t thought of it in years (decades!). Lovely bread – and I like the inclusion of whole wheat flour. This looks totally terrific – thanks so much.
Love that song! I will have it in my head for the rest of the day. I definitely will have to try the sugar coating trick. Sounds delightful!
I was so hoping that someone would choose that song, Liz, when I realized I couldn’t participate. I was a babe when it was popular too but since I have an older sister, it was played non-stop on her little 45 record player. I am sure I still know all the words. Not that they were hard. 🙂
What a beautiful zucchini loaf! I adore that crusty top!
I could eat zucchini bread for breakfast or any time of the day. Love the sugar crust on this one.
Great twist on zucchini bread Liz. Love that song btw! And don´t get me started on Archie comic books, LOVED them!
What an interesting take to make a sugar crust like this… I am a big fan of zucchini bread… this looks scrumptious. 🙂
Zucchini bread is not something I’ve readily loved, but then again I haven’t tried yours! The sugar crust sounds wonderful. I would have this toasted with a dollop of butter. I too love that song!
Apparently you can’t even taste the zucchini so I’d be ok with having a slice of this.
J’adore a loaf of zucchini bread. Thank you for doing the research to discover the most delectable one, Liz.
P.s. Your thoughts about your daughter made me laugh…I remember getting scolded by my step-mom in my Archie comic days because I did have cake for breakfast =)
How funny! I was just searching for a zucchini bread recipe today. This is perfect, thanks Liz! 🙂
I love zucchini bread and that sugar crust is so tempting!