Description
Moist, tender, and naturally sweet zucchini bread infused with warm spices. This comforting loaf combines fresh grated zucchini, balanced sweetness, and simple ingredients to create a delicious treat perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Easily customizable with nuts, chocolate chips, or dietary tweaks, it’s a versatile recipe that delivers a cozy and nutritious experience for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, drained)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free option)
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan version)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
- ½ cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- Additional spices such as ginger or cloves for a spicier twist
Instructions
- Prepare Your Zucchini: Wash and grate fresh zucchini. Gently squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to prevent sogginess while preserving moisture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the white and brown sugars. Add the oil and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and well incorporated.
- Bring Wet and Dry Together: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Fold in Zucchini and Extras: Carefully fold in the grated zucchini and any optional nuts or chocolate chips, being careful not to deflate the batter.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring a crisp crust.
Notes
- Properly drain zucchini to avoid a soggy loaf and achieve ideal crumb texture.
- Do not overmix the batter; stir just until ingredients are combined to keep bread soft.
- Use fresh cinnamon and nutmeg for better flavor impact.
- Bring eggs and oil to room temperature before mixing for a consistent batter.
- Check doneness starting around 50 minutes to prevent overbaking; oven temperatures vary.
- Cool bread thoroughly on a wire rack to maintain crust integrity.
- Substitute oil with applesauce or yogurt for a lower-fat version, noting it may alter texture.
- For gluten-free version, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend keeping total flour quantity the same.
- To make vegan, replace eggs with flax eggs and use plant-based milk/oil.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12 of loaf)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: zucchini bread, moist bread, gluten-free bread, vegan bread, quick bread, cinnamon bread, summer squash bread
