Zucchini Bread

Basic Zucchini Bread Recipe

Zucchini bread has always been an intriguing baked good to me. I mean, adding shredded VEGETABLES to your baking? Weird. But making my first loaf was all it took to convince me that veggies most certainly have a place outside of side dishes, entrees & salads.

In fact, zucchini bread is a great place to start for the novice baker. It's fairly foolproof, practically "one bowl", doesn't require a stand mixer or any fancy tools {unless you consider a cheese grater fancy}, and is extremely adaptable to suit your tastes.

This particular zucchini bread recipe is a great base to start with whether you're craving a classic loaf or are looking for a recipe to use as a jumping-off point for creative flavor combinations. I've got a whole list of ideas below if you need some inspiration, but let's start with the basics before we get fancy.

Ingredients You'll Need

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cinnamon
• Eggs
• Vegetable oil, canola oil, coconut oil or melted butter
• Vanilla extract
• Finely grated zucchini

Tips for Making Zucchini Bread

Zucchini bread, like most quick breads, is almost foolproof if you follow just a few basic tips:

1. Measure correctly. Baking is never the time to "eyeball" measurements as baked goods are a chemical reaction. Measure your wet and dry ingredients as precisely as possible using the correct tools and techniques, and you're halfway to a perfect result.
2. DON'T OVER-MIX. I think we all have that desire to get all the lumps out of batter, but in the case of quick breads like this one, there's no need. Just fold the mixture until there are no more visible dry spots and you're done. Over-mixing will result in a tough or gummy texture, and that's not what we want here.
3. Whisk dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine. I myself am guilty of tossing everything into the same bowl to reduce the amount of bowls I need to wash, BUT, this can also add to over-mixing if you're not careful. Whisking the wet and dry ingredients separately before joining them will allow everything to combine thoroughly first, leading to less stirring and therefore reducing your odds of over-mixing.
4. Don't wring out the grated zucchini. If you've cooked with zucchini before or grated it for things like fritters or lasagna, you might recall needing to squeeze out the excess liquid since it can make your recipe watery. In a zucchini bread recipe, however, the high liquid content of zucchini is precisely what makes it a great addition, keeping the bread nice and moist. {It's the same concept as using applesauce, mashed bananas or pumpkin puree in a recipe.} If you find that your zucchini is particularly watery after grating, then give it a light squeeze before adding it into the batter.
5. Toothpick test! Because quick breads are baked in a loaf pan, they can take a while to bake all the way through. Sometimes, quick breads brown quickly on the top, giving the illusion that they're ready when they're still basically uncooked batter in the middle. One way to check for doneness is to insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, then it's ready. Otherwise let it continue to bake until the center is cooked. Removing it from the oven too early can result in a sunken middle. If the top is browning too quickly but the center still needs to bake through, you can tent the top of your pan with a piece of foil and it will protect the top from burning.

Variations on This Recipe

Now that you've got the basics down, it's time to have some fun with flavor combos! There are lots of ways to add different flavors and textures to this zucchini bread recipe:

• Add up to a cup of "bits" like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruits, etc.
• Amp up your spices! This bread is very lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, but if you want bolder flavors, increase the amounts by ¼ to ½ teaspoon or add in other complimentary spice flavors like allspice and cloves for an autumn twist.
• Change up your extracts. Try swapping out vanilla for almond!
• Add a bit of citrus zest to the batter.
• Drizzle with a glaze or melted chocolate after it's cooled.

Not sure where to start? A few of my favorite combinations include:

• Cherry Almond {add chopped dried cherries and almond extract}
• Chocolate Chip
• Orange Dark Chocolate Chunk  {add orange zest and dark chocolate chunks}
• Chocolate Chip Walnut {add milk chocolate chips & chopped walnuts}
• Pumpkin Spice {add 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice}
• Cranberry Lemon {add dried cranberries and lemon zest}
• Blueberry {add ¾ cup of frozen or fresh blueberries}

More Zucchini Recipes

Looking for more ways to bake with this versatile veggie? Check out these other delectable zucchini bread recipes!

• Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread 
• Healthy Zucchini Superfruit Muffins

Original Photos & Post from 2012:

Scenario: You open your fridge and discover that you have an excess amount of zucchini on the verge of spoiling. In an effort to use it up, you:

A. Prepare a zucchini based meal for dinner.
B. Close the refrigerator and order take out.
C. Grate it, add a few cups of sugar, and make these:

We eat tons of zucchini and we can never get enough. Naturally, it wasn't long before I discovered that the veggie that I love to eat in savory dishes could easily be transformed into a sweet snack as well. {Sugar always finds a way in this house.}

I've made lots of versions of Zucchini Bread in the past, but I've got to tell you... this one is my favorite. Normally, I barely consume any of the baked goods I make. These muffins are the exception. I have eaten almost every last one... all by myself.

They have been a fantastic accompaniment to my morning cup of coffee, the perfect afternoon snack before heading to work, and a great solution for my sweet craving after dinner. {Note: I limit one per day.}

The combination of chocolate and orange is SO scrumptious. And the little hint of cinnamon and nutmeg gives these just a tiny bit of warmth. Like I said, so good.

So, don't be afraid to buy a few extra pieces of zucchini next time you're at the grocery store. I promise you will find a way to use them all up.