American
Zucchini Bread
Shredded zucchini bakes into a spiced quick bread with a tender crumb. The loaf is done when the center tests clean and springs back.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Zucchini adds moisture so the loaf stays soft for days.
- Squeezing out some water keeps the center from turning soggy.
- Cinnamon and a little nutmeg are enough spice.
- It uses up a large zucchini without tasting like a vegetable side.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
- 2
Grate the zucchini. Squeeze it in a clean towel until you have wrung out the obvious puddle of water, but do not squeeze it bone dry. You want about 1.5 to 2 cups after squeezing.
- 3
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- 4
Whisk the eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini.
- 5
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, then fold in the walnuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.
- 6
Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs and the center springs back. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out and cool before slicing.
Pro tips
- A very wet zucchini makes a gummy stripe in the middle. Squeeze, but leave some moisture.
- Do not pack the measuring cup when you measure the grated zucchini. Fluff it in.
- Tent with foil if the top is dark before the center is done.
Easy substitutions
- Walnuts
- Pecans, or skip the nuts.
- Neutral oil
- Applesauce, 1/2 cup, for a lighter loaf that is a bit less rich.
- Nutmeg
- An extra 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze slices for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Serve at room temperature, or warm a slice in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Budget friendly · Oven
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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