Zucchini Bread Recipe

I have to say I have created what I would consider the definitive zucchini bread recipe. Sorry for being so immodest, but I really think this is yummy. A few years back during another mountain crop of zucchini I tried at least a dozen or more recipes from all the standard cookbooks and websites none turned out the way I thought this bread should. Sweet but not too sweet, moist with a bit of spice. Out of frustration I took what I knew from making quick breads in the past and came up with this recipe. 

I find zucchini does not freeze very well since it has has a large water content however it does freeze well when it is made in to a bread. Like all baked goods they are best fresh from the oven and freezing does detract from it yumminess but it is still very good. It's better than throwing out a good crop of zucchini when we can not eat all that we harvest. 

Unfortunately, I don't have any pretty finish photo's of the bread. It didn't last long enough to get a pretty photo. Its is all about the taste which I can't show you any way's. Take my word for it and bake up a couple loaves and get a hot cup of coffee. HEAVEN.

I prefer to use the larger zucchini's for baked goods and reserve the smaller ones for meals. The larger one in this picture was the perfect size (3 cups) for this recipe. 

Move the oven racks so the tops of the loaf pans is in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350. Grate the zucchini. I like to use my food processor for this. 

Have a little more fun and get your super-duper helper. My guy is so silly. He is an awesome helper too.   

Mix all your wet ingredients in a large bowl and then your dry in a separate bowel. Grease two loaf pans. After the oven is done preheating add the dry mix to the wet. It is a very thin batter, trust me it will turn out.  Pour into the loaf pans and bake for 50 - 70 minutes. If you have a convection bake I highly recommend using it when baking this bread. Using my convection bake it takes 60 minutes.

When a toothpick comes out clean remove and cool in the pans for 10 min. Remove the loaves from the pans and continue to cool on the racks. Or if you are like me, immediately cut a slice and get a cup of coffee and savor the yumminess.

Zucchini Bread
by Darla Quail
D/F

3 c shredded zucchini
2 1/4 c sugar
1 c canola oil
3 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
3 c flour (I use white spelt)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Move oven racks so the tops of the loaf pans are center in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 350. (If you have it, convection bake works great here.) Grease two loaf pans. Mix the zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla & eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg & baking powder. 
Once the oven has finished pre-heating add the dry ingredients to the wet. If you are adding nuts mix them in at this time. Pour in to the loaf pans dividing the batter as even as possible. Bake for 50 - 70 min. 
Remove from the oven when a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and continue to cool on a rack. 
If freezing, wrap a completely cooled loaf in plastic wrap then wrap again in foil. Label and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

I have not tried this recipe with wheat all purpose flour however I use white spelt as my substitute for wheat all purpose flour for all recipes that call for wheat all purpose flour. White spelt is very close to cake flour which is more tender then all purpose. So you will most likely have good results with wheat all purpose flour it just may not be as soft and tender. 

Spelt has less gluten then wheat all purpose flour however it is not gluten free. I have not tried this with a gluten free flour mix yet but plan to for my next batch. I will update this post when I do. If anyone attempts it before I get to, let me know how it goes by leaving me a comment. 

Thanks for stopping by the nest!
Darla