Our gardens are bursting with bounty and plenty, and everywhere you turn there are well-meaning friends, family and co-workers ready to persuade, coax and even force you into taking their extra squash, beans, zucchini and other vegetables. In fact, you might be a veggie-pusher yourself. While your loved ones might have all the zucchini they need, zucchini bread is a different case.
The first recipe is a crowd-pleasing favorite, but if you’re looking for something a little different, there are several optional extract/spices and mix-ins to choose from. The second zucchini bread isn’t an everyday recipe, but it is a decadent treat anyone will happily take off your hands.
Mom's Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 3. cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3–4 tablespoons turbinado/cane sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw)
Add-In Options
Make a custom recipe by choosing one additional extract/spice and one mix-in.
Pick 1 extract/spice:
- 1/2 teaspoons allspice
- 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pick 1 mix-in:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, macadamia nuts or pecans
- 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup peeled, chopped apple (like Granny Smith)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Some combinations to try:
- Almond extract and chopped apples
- Ground ginger and grated carrots
- Vanilla extract and chopped walnuts
- Allspice and chopped macadamia nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. (Add optional spices if using.)
- In a separate bowl, whisk grated zucchini together with oil, eggs, water and lemon juice until well mixed. (add optional extract if using)
- Mix wet ingredients into the flour mixture, then gently fold ingredients together. (fold in optional mix-in if using)
- Loaves:
- Mini loaves:
- Prep 5 mini loaf pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Divide the batter equally between the loaf pans.
- Sprinkle turbinado/cane sugar over the top of each loaf.
- Bake for about 45 minutes.
- Muffins:
- Prep 2 standard 12-cup muffin pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Use a spoon to fill prepared muffin cups with batter until it reaches just above the surface of the muffin pan.
- Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoons turbinado/cane sugar over each muffin.
- Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the top of the muffins bounces back when lightly pressed.
- Cool in pan on rack for 10–20 minutes. Remove bread or muffins from the pan and allow them to cool completely.
Death by Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Butter a 9"x5" loaf pan and dust with cocoa powder. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In another large bowl, beat together sugar, egg, and egg yolk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add melted butter and vanilla, mix until smooth then fold in grated zucchini.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, then fold in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes at 350°F.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To give the chocolate an extra pop, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the bread once it is cool.
Submitted by Emily Newhouse and originally published in the IFA Cooperator magazine (vol. 87, no. 3) Fall 2021.