This yellow squash bread recipe makes a moist and delicious quick bread perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a snack. It’s made with white and brown sugar, warm cinnamon, and sour cream for a tender texture and rich flavor.
If your garden is overflowing with yellow summer squash, this quick bread is one of the easiest ways to use it. Similar to zucchini bread, it has a slightly sweeter flavor and moist texture that makes it hard to stop at just one slice.
When neighbors load me up with extra summer squash, this is one of the first recipes I make. Sharing a loaf or two is a great way to make sure I’m first on the list when they have extra squash to share next year.
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Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
While this may seem like a lot of ingredients you probably have many of these in your cupboards right now.
- Yellow Squash: Also known as summer squash, straightneck squash, or crookneck squash. It works similarly to zucchini in quick breads but has a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Canola Oil: Vegetable oil can be used instead.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture and richness. Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix more easily into the batter.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm flavor that pairs well with the squash.
How to Make Yellow Squash Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9″ X 5″ loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Grate the yellow squash.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
- Mix the oil, sugars, eggs, sour cream and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Stir in the grated squash.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until the top dries out and begins to crack, the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan or a toothpick or cake tester comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes then take it out of the pan and cool completely.
Tips for the Best Squash Bread
- I use the large holes of a box grater to grate the squash.
- This bread has a crunchy crust when it first comes out of the oven. Wrapping the cooled loaf will soften the crust.
- The flavor and texture improve after a day, making the bread even more moist.
- Dark loaf pans may bake the bread slightly faster and produce a darker crust.
Substitutions and Additions
- You can swap the yellow squash with zucchini.
- Swap in whole wheat flour for some of the white flour. Because wheat flour absorbs more moisture and can make the bread denser, I wouldn’t replace more than ½ cup of the all-purpose flour.
- Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil can be used instead of canola oil. Olive oil is not recommended in this recipe.
- Instead of sour cream, use an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt or applesauce.
- Add about 1 cup of chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts.
Can You Use Yellow Squash Instead of Zucchini in Bread?
Yes, yellow squash can be used in place of zucchini in most quick bread recipes. Prepare it the same way the recipe directs. The finished bread may have a slightly different color and flavor, but the texture will be very similar.
Storage and Freezing
Store the cooled bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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Easy Yellow Squash Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups grated squash about 1 medium
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9" X 5" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.cooking spray
- Grate the yellow squash.
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined; set aside.1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Mix oil, sour cream, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Stir in grated squash. Add squash mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.½ cup canola oil, ¼ cup sour cream, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 ½ cups grated squash
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake about 1 hour, or until the top dries out and begins to crack, the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan or a toothpick or cake tester comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes then take it out of the pan and cool completely.
Just put a double batch in the oven. I added 1 tsp. of nutmeg to the recipe. Smells heavenly! Oct. 7th and that 1 yellow squash plant keeps producing… Thanks for this great recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for commenting!
This is delicious, great taste and texture that honours the squash!
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for commenting and reviewing!
Hi, Mandy.
Tried your yellow squash bread recipe!
I made a double batch!
They just.
Came out of the oven and looked wonderful
Could I frost one and use it for a birthday cake?
Do you have any suggestions for a frosting?
thanks!!!!
I think a cream cheese frosting, or maple or vanilla buttercream would be delicious!
Just made a double Batch.
And it turned out Wonderful.
I’d like to frost one and use it for a birthday cake.
Do you think it would work thanks? Do you have a suggestion for the frosting?
Made these into mini muffins and added mini chocolate chips. Cooked 18 minutes. Made almost 2 dozen.
Thanks for sharing!
This bread was absolutely delicious. I substituted the sour cream for applesauce.
Thanks Julie, I’m glad you like it!
hi, I have excess yellow squash (lol) and was thinking about making this bread, but the ones I have have a lot of seeds. Will those grate up; or should I try to cut the middle out before grating; or just wait till I have other squash?
HI, Lisa,
If the seeds are large or tough, it’s best to scoop them out before grating. But if they’re small and tender, you can grate the whole squash just fine.
I hope you like it!
Mindy
I made this bread yesterday. It’s very moist like I like a quick bread to be, but I didn’t think it had much flavor. I will make it again but I’ll add more cinnamon to it and maybe another teaspoon of vanilla. I made the 3 mini loaves which is just the right size for my husband and myself.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and sharing your experience! My family really enjoys it as written, and I’ve had several comments both on the blog and Pinterest from others who’ve loved it too. But that’s the beauty of baking at home, you can easily tweak it to suit your own tastes! I think extra cinnamon and vanilla sound like delicious additions. I’m glad the mini loaves worked out well for you and your husband!
Do you squeeze the excess liquid from the squash before mixing it all up?
I don’t and it helps to keep the bread moist.
Thank you so much. I plan on making this real soon, summer squash is starting to come outta my ears. LOL
Switched it to a gf recipe for my friends that can’t have gluten. Left my squash juicy as gf flour sometimes absorbs a lot of liquid. Turned out super moist and was a big hit
So glad this came out great gluten free!
My friends and family love this summer squash bread! They asked me to make it again and to share the recipe.
I am so glad everyone loved it, thanks for commenting and reviewing!