Blue Ribbon Zucchini Carrot Apple Bread

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Drip Frosting (optional):
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted, or canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Pinch of cloves
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cut shredded zucchini (unpeeled)
• 1/2 cup plumped yellow raisins
• 1 cup finely diced, peeled apples
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 to 3 cups confectioner's sugar
• Orange juice, as required

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8x4" loaf pans or one Bundt pan. (This recipe can also make 18 to 24 muffins.) Place pans on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

In mixer bowl, blend sugar, butter or oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. In medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Fold dry ingredients into wet batter along with shredded carrots, zucchini, raisins, apples and walnuts. Spoon into prepared pans(s).

Bake until done, about 1 hour, or until loaves spring back when gently touched with fingertips. Cool to room temperature before icing.

*Cream Cheese Drip Frosting:*
Place cream cheese, butter and most of confectioner's sugar in food processor or mixer bowl. Blend, adding more of confectioners' sugar and drizzling in a bit of orange juice to make soft, fluffy topping. Add more confectioners' sugar if required (or orange juice to loose, if necessary). Frost top of loaf or cake (if frost is soft enough, it will drip down sides), and garnish with shredded carrots and dusting of cinnamon before serving.