Easy Zucchini Bread Recipe

This time of year, zucchini takes over the home garden! Yet, there are only so many ways to sauté, grill, and fry it! That’s when I turn to my homemade zucchini bread; it’s a recipe everyone fights over when only one slice is left, it’s that good!

It’s light and moist and flavored with just the right amount of spices—this is what makes zucchini bread so good, in my opinion.

The batter incorporates lots of spices, fruits and nuts, too! I use two types of raisins and crunchy walnuts. But you could also add some chopped bittersweet chocolate and shredded unsweetened coconut too!

Ingredients:

• Eggs: You’ll need three jumbo eggs to give this bread its richness and lift.
• Pumpkin Puree: Adding the pumpkin puree adds a nice amount of moisture without needing more fat. You’ll only need 1/2 cup, so you can save the rest for my delicious Pumpkin Scone Recipe or my Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. 
• White Sugar: I find white sugar gives you a better texture than brown sugar.
• Vegetable Oil: I prefer oil to butter in quick breads because the loaf pan is so deep that it takes longer to bake than in a regular cake pan. The oil’s moisture will keep your bread moist and tender during the longer baking time. You can also swap out the vegetable oil for melted coconut oil if you prefer. Use the same amount.
• Water: I add a little water to my quick bread recipes to add moisture without weighing the cake down, as milk would. I use the same technique in my Ultimate Banana Bread and Pumpkin Bread recipes. 
• Vanilla Extract: For additional flavor.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour, unless I’m in France, then I use T45 flour. 
• Baking Soda: For a nice lift, I prefer baking soda to baking powder in quick breads because it gives a quicker, better rise. 
• Salt: I always use Kosher salt for baking because I find its flavor is better and more subtle than table salt.
• Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Ground Cloves make a wonderful spice blend that will give your zucchini bread fantastic flavor!
• Zucchini: For this recipe, you’ll need two medium-sized zucchinis. You don’t need to peel them or remove the seeds; you can use them as is. Have a bumper crop of zucchini? Try my Chicken Brochettes with Grilled Zucchini Salad. 
• Raisins: I love the mix of golden and dark raisins. They have slightly different flavors and levels of sweetness. They also make the bread’s interior look more interesting.
• Walnuts: I love walnuts in this recipe, but you could also swap them for pecans. 

   How To Prepare the Zucchini 

• You do not need to peel the zucchini. Grate it with a box grater or food processor fitted with the grating attachment.
• I think the best side of the box grater to use for grated zucchini in this bread is the larger grate. This will provide the best texture for the bread. In my experience, the smaller side is too small to make an impact. The larger the grate, the more bulk and volume your bread will have. 
• But you do need to pat it dry with a paper towel before baking with it to absorb the moisture. Zucchini is a watery vegetable, and it will continue to release moisture as it bakes. Patting it dry first reduces some of the moisture that could otherwise lead to a mushy texture. 

Brown Sugar vs. White Sugar

• I prefer white sugar over brown sugar for zucchini bread.
• Brown sugar, with its molasses, makes the crumb a bit denser and adds extra sweetness. The white sugar will make your bread fluffier and give it a lighter crumb, too.
• Mixing sugars is an idea I save for cookies like my White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies. In a cookie, brown sugar provides chewiness, while white sugar delivers crispy edges. 

Why Does My Bread Sink in the Middle?

• The secret to most quick bread recipes is to use enough baking soda (at least 3/4 tsp per 1 cup of flour) and to bake the bread long enough for the center to crack. That’s when it starts to bake fully inside. 
• Loaf pans are deeper than cake pans, and while your quick bread may be golden brown and “look” done, it’s best to insert a skewer or a toothpick to double-check!
• A skewer will go deeper to verify that it’s, in fact, fully baked through. If it isn’t, when it starts to cool, it will sink and collapse in the middle, indicating it didn’t fully bake through.
• I find the cracking at the top is a good indication that your bread is ready to take out! 

How to Store and Reheat?

• Keep this bread at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh for up to three days. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator for up to five days.
• This bread also freezes beautifully. Remove it from its tin and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Then cut it into slices, wrap each slice individually in wax paper, and place the wrapped slices in a large resealable freezer bag.
• When it’s time to reheat, wrap the slice in a paper towel to keep it moist, and microwave it for 30 seconds, or until warmed through. It will taste freshly baked!