This is simply the BEST Zucchini Bread EVER boos! The texture is incredibly moist and tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumb that’s filled with ripe summer zucchini flavor and balanced sweetness. This easy zucchini quick bread is perfect for bakers of all levels and can be enjoyed for breakfast, a snack, or a decadent dessert. Y’all are going to hope you have leftovers!!
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Alright, y’all, if you haven’t tried Zucchini Bread yet, you’re totally missing out! Like, who thinks about stuffing veggies into bread, right? But trust me, it’s all that and a bag of chips! This recipe is giving me major banana bread vibes, but with zucchini stepping up for a more earthy, fresh twist. Did you know zucchini is like 95% water? That’s what makes this bread super moist and tasty. Zucchini Bread is the perfect blend of moist and mildly spiced flavors, making it a bomb choice for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert!
The Heart & Soul Of This Zucchini Bread
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Moist and sweet crumb with a touch of mild earthy flavors from the zucchini.
Skill Level: Beginner
Sweet Spots
- Summer Zucchini: If you’ve got more zucchini than you know what to do with from your summer garden, this homemade bread is great to use it up!
- Easy Dessert: Qucik bread are perfect for beginner cooks or anyone looking for an easy dessert that won’t take hours to prepare.
- Enjoy Any Time: I love zucchini bread because it’s lightly sweet, making it perfect to enjoy in the morning for breakfast but still makes a tasty dessert for after dinner.
- Get Picky Eaters to Eat Veggies: This loaf is a great way to sneak in some veggies to get even the pickiest of eaters to try them.
- Great Flavor and Texture: Zucchini adds an extra boost of moisture along with a bit of mild zucchini flavor that’s perfectly balanced with the vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar.
Ingredients to Make Zucchini Bread
There’s a whole lot to adore about this Zucchini Bread recipe, but let me spill the tea – its moistness is the real MVP here. It’s so soft and tender, it legit melts in your mouth like magic! Every bite is like a little slice of cake heaven, but with its own unique twist.
This is all you’ll need:
- Grated Zucchini: Zucchini has a mild, slightly-sweet flavor with just a hint of bitterness. However, when cooked, this rich, moist summer squash releases water and becomes sweeter. Look for 6-8 inch, relatively thin zucchini with dark green, smooth skin.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil is responsible for that crisp top and that melt-in-your-mouth inner texture. Feel free to use any neutral-flavored oil.
- Sugar: This bread isn’t meant to be very sweet. If it’s too sweet you won’t be able to taste the zucchini. Just a bit of sugar sweetens and tenderizes the bread while also drawing out zucchini’s natural sugar.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure and help bind the ingredients together. Eggs also act as an emulsifier that makes for a smoother batter.
- Baking Powder & Soda: Both act together to leaven the bread and neutralize the acid for a moister result.
- Salt: Salt draws out moisture from the zucchini and balances all the flavors.
- Ground Cinnamon: Woodsy, earthy and warm, cinnamon is a perfect addition to this bread. It’s spice adds that much-needed kick.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour is the base to any bread! Be sure to measure properly and you’re golden.
How to Make Zucchini Bread
Before you get started mixing it’s a good idea to go ahead and preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare your loaf pan with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
Step 1: Mixing the Batter
- Whisk together the flour, ground cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Beat the egg and egg yolk on high speed with an electric mixer then add in granulated sugar and beat for 4 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture while the mixer is on slow speed.
- Mix in the vegetable oil and grated zucchini until combined. Don’t worry that the batter is super thick.
Step 2: Bake the Bread
- Add the batter to your prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool it for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Cool completely and serve.
Tips for Making the Best Zucchini Bread
- Use Fresh Zucchini. Frozen zucchini contains a great deal more water so it’s not a good idea to substitute it in this recipe.
- Prep Your Pan. Be sure to spray the pan very well and line it with parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the pan after baking.
- Cool in the Pan First. The zucchini loaf will still be cooking when you first take it out of the oven. It’s still quite soft and fragile so let it cool in the pan for about ten minutes before you try to remove it. This way you avoid it falling apart.
- Don’t Over Mix. Make sure to use low speed when adding the flour and mix only enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Mixing too much may make it tough.
- Avoid Grating Too Large: Medium or small sized holes works best to cook the zucchini so that it’s there but not overpowering.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Swap the Cinnamon. You can use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon for a more complex flavor.
- Add Nuts. If you like a bit of crunch stir in about half a cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts along with the grated zucchini.
- Chocolate Chips. Chocolate chips make a great addition to zucchini bread. Stir it in right at the end along with the zucchini. You can even sprinkle a few more on the top after it’s in the pan.
- Gluten-Free: If you prefer to make your bread gluten-free use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum added for best results.
- Yellow Squash: Yellow squash has a similar texture and mild flavor like zucchini and will work in a similar manner. It’s missing the tiny glimpses of green in the loaf but still tastes great. You can also use a mixture of both if you want.
What to Serve with Zucchini Bread
- Spread your bread with butter, jam, or a bit of apple butter. I love a schmear of butter when it’s still warm! Y’all it’s so yummy!
- Serve it up for brunch or breakfast along with this cheesy chicken frittata or your favorite egg dishes!
- Enjoy a slice for an afternoon snack with your favorite cup of joe or tea.
- Turn it into a decadent dessert with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a scoop of corn ice cream, sweet potato ice cream, or your favorite flavor!
How to Store Old-Fashioned Zucchini Bread
If you’re lucky and have leftovers, be sure to either wrap the loaf tightly or store it in an airtight container, so it doesn’t go stale. Store it at room temperature or in the fridge to keep it fresher. If you enjoy your zucchini bread warm you can reheat it in the oven wrapped in foil or heat up individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
How long will zucchini bread last?
This Zucchini Bread recipe should keep for at least 2-3 days at room temperature. If your bread lasts longer than 3 days (it never does in my house), move it into the refrigerator for a couple of extra days.
Can I freeze zucchini bread?
Yep, you can freeze it to preserves its freshness for up to three months. Be sure to wrap it in both plastic and aluminum foil or place it wrapped inside a freezer safe bag to keep it from absorbing any flavors from the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or let sit out at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use parchment paper with flaps on the sides to ensure it comes out clean once baked. Cut the parchment slightly larger than the pan and then cut slits in each corner so it will easily fit into the pan without bunching up. This forms little flaps that extend above the pan which you can use to lift the bread from the pan after it’s cooled slightly.
No, it’s completely unnecessary! Leaving the skin intact gives the bread more texture and color. Simply scrub and wash the zucchini before baking.
Zucchini can become a bit bitter when it’s overripe or large in size. For best results, make sure to choose medium-sized zucchini that look fresh and are firm to the touch. In most cases, evenly slightly bitter zucchini will end up tasting fine when baked in bread due to the other ingredients and the sugar added to the batter.
Whether you have a ton of summer zucchini you need to use up or simply love a tasty bread that sneaks in some veggies, this zucchini bread will be your new favorite. It’s simplicity in both preparation and flavor is what makes it truly shine!
More Favorite Bread Recipes
And if you are looking for some more quick breads to check out, here are a few of my faves that can be thrown together in a flash but taste so bomb!
- Mexican Cornbread
- Honey Cornbread
- Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Apple Fritter Bread
- Hummingbird Bread
- Cornmeal Pound Cake
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Zucchini Bread
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Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups coarsely grated grated zucchini 1 large or 2 medium, squeezed of excess liquid with your hands
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease an 8 by 4 by 2-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray and line it with a piece of parchment paper, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang on both longer sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until combined.
- In a large bowl and using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat on high to incorporate, about 1 minute.
- With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add the oil in a steady stream and beat until the mixture has the thickness and texture of mayonnaise, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the zucchini just until combined—the batter will be very thick.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the loaf starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then use the overhanging parchment to lift the bread from the pan and set it on the rack. Let cool completely, ideally overnight, before slicing and serving (letting it rest really helps set the bread’s texture).
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Hi Jocelyn. Can these be made into muffins as well?
Going over ingredients I noticed that it’s calling for 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. Are you saying whole egg and a separate egg yolk?
Hi Stella, yep! You need 1 large whole egg and then 1 egg yolk.
This zucchini bread is a great way to get my family to eat veggies! The texture and flavor are perfect!