Zucchini Bread
Published: July 11, 2018 – Modified: July 5, 2022
Brown sugar and cinnamon lend so much flavor to this Zucchini Bread and it is super moist. If you have a garden full of zucchini, save some to make this delicious bread! Make several loaves and freeze some.
It’s that time of year. Time to use up your bumper crop of zucchini, or the ones your neighbor gifted you, and the perfect time to make zucchini bread.
Zucchini became widely popular back in the 1960s when gardeners started planting zucchini without realizing how quickly it would grow. They couldn’t pick it fast enough and didn’t know what to do with the really large ones. That’s when the zucchini bread recipe became very popular.
Ingredients
Zucchini – Make sure to rinse off your zucchini. Grate or shred it with the peeling on. If your zucchini are large ones that you found hiding in your garden, cut them in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to remove the large seeds.
Light Brown Sugar – I used part granulated and part brown sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds a caramel-like note to the bread and pairs great with the warm flavor of cinnamon.
Granulated Sugar – Used for sweetness.
Canola Oil – Feel free to use vegetable or coconut oil.
Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract, not imitation for the best flavor.
Eggs – Use large eggs if possible. Three large eggs create the perfect structure in this bread.
All-Purpose Flour – Don’t be tempted to use cake flour in this recipe. The bread will fall apart
Cinnamon – I used 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in this bread, and no it’s not too much. It’s just the perfect amount to offer up a mild cinnamon flavor in this bread, and boy does cinnamon complement zucchini bread, as it does in many quick breads. I love it in my Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Nuts – I think walnuts or pecans best complement this bread. However, you can use your favorite nut.
Baking powder & baking soda – These are the leaveners in this recipe. They make the bread rise, and the baking soda also helps with browning. Make sure yours have not expired before making this recipe. You can test them here.
Salt – Salt enhances the other flavors.
Zucchini can be used in so many ways, breaded and fried, grilled, or baked in bread. However, it is rather bland by itself. It’s great in bread because it lends so much moisture, but it really needs some spices and sugar to give it some real flavor. In this recipe, you’ll see I used one whole tablespoon of cinnamon. In case you think that’s a lot of cinnamon, it’s really not. It’s just enough to give the bread a subtle taste of cinnamon. You can also add your favorite spices to this bread if you like. I love the cinnamon alone but feel free to add some nutmeg, allspice, or what you like.
There’s the bread that you eat warm with a slathering of butter and then there’s this bread. This zucchini bread is so moist and warmly spiced, that it’s perfect at room temperature with no slathering of anything. Most zucchini bread recipes call for all white sugar, but I’ve adapted this recipe to use half brown sugar. The brown sugar adds a caramel-like note to the bread and pairs great with the warm flavor of cinnamon.
How to Make
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Add the wet ingredients, (except for zucchini), to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix all of the wet ingredients on medium speed until the mixture is very light and lemony in color. Add sugars and mix well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until they are just about halfway incorporated… a few seconds.
- Add the zucchini and nuts and mix just until dry ingredients, zucchini, and nuts are incorporated.
- Bake at 350 for approximately 55 minutes or until a toothpick test comes out with moist crumbs on it.
Cindy’s Tips
- If your zucchini is really large, like some you find in your garden, you can slice the zucchini in half horizontally and remove the seeds. There is no need to peel the zucchini. Simply rinse it off.
- When you measure the shredded zucchini, pack it in the cup or round it up in the cup slightly.
- Do not squeeze the water out of the zucchini. This adds moisture to the bread.
- If you love nuts and choose to double the nuts, (2 cups), add 1 extra tablespoon of oil.
- Bake the bread in two small loaf pans, versus one large one. This way the bread will get done in the middle without the top getting too brown first.
- Don’t cut back on the spices. This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. This might sound like a lot but it definitely is not. Zucchini is a pretty bland & tasteless vegetable by itself. It is great for adding moistness to bread but is best used in recipes that call for a lot of spices or other flavorings. Feel free to add some of your own favorite spices to this bread and cut back on the cinnamon if you prefer. Some people like allspice and nutmeg in their zucchini bread. It’s whatever you like, but it does need spices, and I suggest at least one tablespoon of combined spices.
- If you want to add chocolate chips to the recipe, go for it. I personally like either regular zucchini bread or chocolate zucchini bread, but I’m not a fan of the regular zucchini bread with chocolate added, but to each his own here. If you do add the chocolate chips, cut back by the same amount on the nuts, or omit them. Chocolate also tends to draw moisture from baked goods, so add the extra tablespoon of oil if using the chocolate.
- If you have an abundance of zucchini, bake extra loaves of bread and freeze them. The baked bread freezes beautifully. Freeze it for no longer than three months for the best freshness.
- If you decide to freeze shredded zucchini, freeze double the amount that you need for a recipe later. It seems to turn to 98 percent water after you freeze and re-thaw it.
More zucchini recipes…
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Check out this delicious recipe for Garlicky Zucchini Tomato Crostini over at Tatyana’s Everyday Food.
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Zucchini Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brown sugar and cinnamon lend so much flavor to this Zucchini Bread and it is super moist. If you have a garden full of zucchini, save some to make this delicious bread! Make several loaves because it freezes beautifully!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil (you can also use coconut oil)
- 3 1/2 cups grated or shredded zucchini with peeling, lightly packed
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and lightly flour two loaf pans, 8″ x 4″ (or use parchment paper).
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Add the wet ingredients, (except for zucchini), to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix all of the wet ingredients on medium speed until the mixture is very light and lemony in color. Add sugars and mix well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until they are just about halfway incorporated… a few seconds.
- Add the zucchini and nuts and mix just until dry ingredients, zucchini, and pecans are incorporated.
- Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for approximately 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of loaves comes out clean.
- Let rest for about five minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges and tap pans on counter to ensure that bread has released from the pans. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store bread in an airtight container or wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
- Bread will keep for up to five days.
Notes
- This bread freezes beautifully. Wrap securely and freeze for up to 3 months.
My mother has made this for years and it is one of my favorites!!! She also makes zucchini relish – which is very good on hot dogs, brown beans, or black eyed peas. It is a sweet relish similar to a hot dog relish!!! Very yummy!!! As a matter of fact – I am making some this weekend!!!
Hi Elyse, I’ve never heard of zucchini relish. That sounds wonderful!!
it is yummy – my mom’s recipe calls for 10 cups grated zucchini and 5 tablespoons salt – let set in refrigerator overnight – the next morning drain and rinse. Then add 6 cups sugar, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1 chopped green bell pepper, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp tumeric, 1 tsp ground mustard, 1 1/2 tsp celery seed and 3 cups apple cider vinegar – bring all to boil and boil for 30 minutes – place in pint jars and seal – makes 6-7 pints.
it is yummy – my mom’s recipe calls for 10 cups grated zucchini and 5 tablespoons salt – let set in refrigerator overnight – the next morning drain and rinse. Then add 6 cups sugar, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1 chopped green bell pepper, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp tumeric, 1 tsp ground mustard, 1 1/2 tsp celery seed and 3 cups apple cider vinegar – bring all to boil and boil for 30 minutes – place in pint jars and seal – makes 6-7 pints.
I make zucchini relish every year, it is great on burgers too. My husband won’t eat zucchini but I have a recipe for faux apple crisp that uses diced zucchini instead of apples and you cannot tell the difference.
Hi Joyce, I can’t wait to try zucchini relish, and that faux apple crisp sounds great too. Thanks for the ideas!
Looks delish..will definitely try..thx marie from canada
Delicious and moist. My husband claims he doesn’t like zucchini bread, but he likes this loaf!
Hi Diane, I’m so glad it was a winner with your husband! Happy baking! 🙂
Can you substitute almond flour? For gluten-free? Thanks
Hi Chris, I have not experimented with almond flour. However, it can be substituted but you should use 25% less and add an extra egg as a binding agent. See this interesting post from King Arthur Flour…https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2017/03/20/baking-with-almond-flour
When you say two smaller loaf pans do you mean mini loaf pans or regular sized loaf pans?
Hi Sharon, It’s too regular size, approximately 8 x 4 loaf pans. I will clarify that on the recipe. Happy baking!
Thank you for this yummy recipe! The bread was so moist and delicious My whole family enjoyed it. My first time making zucchini bread too. I added white chocolate chips. I split cinnamon to half teaspoon and half teaspoon pumpkin spice. I’m so glad I found something to do with my huge garden zucchinis. Will definitely make again!
Hi Lori, I’m so glad it was a hit! 🙂