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This moist aromatic zucchini bread has the perfect balance of flavors and is great for breakfast or dessert.
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Best Zucchini Bread
This time of year I have garden fresh zucchini coming out of my eyeballs. Zucchini are very prolific in my area of the world and inevitably I find myself trying to figure out what to do with them. Zucchini bread is the perfect summer-inspired delight to make with your garden-fresh zucchini. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice add an earthly warm touch of spice, the aroma from the oven while the zucchini bread is baking is irresistible.
Applesauce as one of the sweeteners in this bread and it adds some moisture which keeps the loaf tender. This comfort food classic is often better the day after it has been baked. After the loaf is baked, you simply wrap it in plastic wrap and set it at room temperature for a day. This allows the zucchini to settle and release more moisture. This zucchini bread is a favorite of my families for breakfast so sometimes I will make two loaves, one for a low-carb healthy dessert, and one to wrap up for breakfast the next day. This homemade zucchini bread freezes very well and makes a great gift at Christmas time! Feel free to add chocolate chips, nuts, or even dried fruit like cranberries or raisins to your zucchini bread!
How to Make Zucchini Bread
To make this simple recipe first compile the following ingredients:
- All-purpose flour – the protein content in all-purpose flour will give you a bread that has a good structure and holds together when turned out of the loaf pan.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – these two leveners are necessary to get a light airy texture, you need both working together because of the thickness of the batter.
- Salt – salt is essential to season the bread and draw the flavors out. Use a fine grain sea salt.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice – this trio of warming spices are perfect for zucchini and are an ode to the coming fall flavors. If you don’t have one of them substitute with more cinnamon.
- Vegetable or Coconut oil – I prefer coconut oil that has been warmed so it is liquified, but vegetable oil will also add the necessary fat and moisture for a tender zucchini bread.
- Sugar – I use brown and white sugar for this recipe since brown sugar gives a nice molasses flavor and white sugar gives a strong sweet hit.
- Eggs – eggs add structure to the bread and are the glue that helps hold everything together. I like to use brown eggs for a richer flavor.
- Applesauce – unsweetened applesauce gives this bread some added moisture and a slight apple flavor that compliments the zucchini and spices well.
- Vanilla extract – vanilla adds an aromatic element to this bread, you don’t taste the vanilla directly but it mixes well with the spices and oil to give the bread a lift.
- Zucchini – fresh zucchini grated adds earthy flavor and moisture to this recipe, the zucchini is the star.
- Your Add in’s – you can optionally add any of a variety of things to your zucchini bread including chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, or cranberries.
Once you have assembled the ingredients, use this method:
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
- Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients, I like to use a metal whisk for this and be sure to break up any clumps. You can also sift if you want to make sure there are no clumps.
- Wet Ingredients. Combine the oil, sugars, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the zucchini and mix to combine.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine well. The mixture will be slightly thick. Stir in any add-ins of your choice. Spread the batter into a greased pan.
- Bake and cool. Bake in the oven for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when testing the center of the loaf. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan before turning it out to cool completely.
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Zucchini Bread
Better Later. This bread is going to be the moistest if you wait for it to cool completely then wrap it in plastic and leave it at room temperature overnight. This allows the zucchini to rest and release its moisture.
Reduce the sugar. Feel free to cut the amounts of sugar in this recipe, I wouldn’t put less than half the recommended amount though.
FAQs
Yes! Zucchini bread freezes very well. Wait till it is completely cooled then double wrap it in plastic wrap label it with the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying it.
Yes, you will need to grease a muffin pan instead of a loaf pan. After the muffin pan is filled bake them for 5 minutes at 425F then reduce the oven to 350F for another 14 minutes or so until the toothpick comes out clean. This recipe would yield 1 dozen muffins.
Try these Bread Recipes Next
After you have enjoyed this zucchini try these favorite bread recipes:
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Zucchini Bread Recipe
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Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ½ cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini
- Optional: chocolate chips nuts, and raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, sugars, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the zucchini and mix.
- Combine the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir in any add-ins you choose such as chocolate chips, nuts, and raisins. Batter will be slightly thick.
- Spread the batter in the greased pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may need to cover the loaf with tin foil during baking to prevent it getting too brown. Let cool before turning out of the loaf pan.
