Zucchini bread is a popular baking choice when the garden is bursting with Summer squash. I love zucchini bread and always keep an eye out for new ways of turning this Summer fruit into a delicious baked snack. I have previously posted West Coast Zucchini Bread and Blueberry-Lemon Zucchini Bread. (There’s also a post with Lemon & Yellow Squash Bread, using yellow Summer squash.) All of these are wonderful, snackable treats. And now I have a new version to add to my collection.

Recently, I was looking for something to bake for a volunteer workday. Since zucchini is in season, I focused my search on that, hoping to make a new variety of zucchini bread. Zucchini bread always goes over well. I found lots of zucchini bread recipes online, but nothing new or out of the ordinary. Instead, I found a muffin recipe that uses zucchini. I was sold.

This muffin recipe also includes shredded carrots and raisins. Replacing some of the oil in traditional recipes with applesauce increases the moistness of the cakey texture of the finished product, adds additional sweetness and flavor to the treat, and decreases the fat content of the muffins. These were a hit with Eric & I, as well as with the volunteers I brought the snacks to for the workday.

Zucchini Carrot Raisin Muffins (adapted from thisdelicioushouse.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 12 muffins

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 8-ounce zucchini, grated (about a cup)
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray each cup with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, oil, and eggs until well combined.

Add in the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Fold in the grated zucchini, carrots, and raisins.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Bake on center rack in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the center muffin comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Zucchini is the versatile ruler of Summer!  ~Linda

Zucchini Carrot Raisin Muffins (adapted from thisdelicioushouse.com) Total Time Required: 45 minutes, Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 25 minutes, Makes: 12 muffins

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 8-ounce zucchini, grated (about a cup)
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 3/4 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray each cup with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, oil, and eggs until well combined. Add in the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Fold in the grated zucchini, carrots, and raisins. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.

Bake on center rack in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the center muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a cooling rack. Store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.