Carrot Zucchini Bread With Cream Cheese Frosting

This moist and delicious Carrot and Zucchini has a hint of cinnamon and is sweet enough because of the carrots and zucchini to be a cake but dense because it is a bread. With out the frosting it is delicious on its own.  Then top it off with a thick layer of cream cheese and top it off with the frosting and walnuts or pecans just makes this even more amazing. Perfect for breakfast or after dinner treat.


Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 6 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded, peeled carrots (from about 3 medium carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini (from about 2 small zucchini)
Frosting:
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 5 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two 8 by 4-inch loaf pans and set aside.
• 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg for 30 seconds. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar until well blended, then add canola oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Stir in shredded carrots and zucchini, then add flour mixture all at once, and using a rubber spatula, fold mixture just until combined.
• 3. Divide mixture among two prepared loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes then (without removing loaves from oven) quickly tent loaves with a sheet of aluminum foil (to prevent top from excessive browning) and continue to bake 15 - 20 minutes longer, or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in loaf pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting and top with chopped pecans. Store in an airtight container.
• 4. For the frosting:
• 5. In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip together butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

recipe from:http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/02/carrot-zucchini-bread/