Zucchini is a prominent summer vegetable to say the least. Thank goodness there are a gazillion different ways to prepare zucchini and it equally works well for both sweet and savory recipes. It is an excellent ingredient for salads, grilling, casseroles and baking. Zucchini is very versatile but it does not freeze well.
The zucchini season is just getting started and I wanted to share my favorite zucchini bread recipe with you. Zucchini bread is one of the most easily found recipes found on the internet but in my experience it is hard to find in a cookbook. Is it just me? Am I looking in all the wrong places? Well, I confess. I did find one recipe in A Real American Breakfast by Bill and Cheryl Alter Jamison called Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread. I really like this recipe and have been making it for years. It is not too sweet and I switched up a cup of the all purpose flour for whole wheat which turned out nice. The one thing I don’t share with many southerners is an outrageous sweet tooth. The turbinado sugar sprinkled on right before baking adds a sweet, crunchy texture to the top crust. This recipe has just the right amount of sweetness that compliments the spices, grains and zucchini.
A Southern Table: Zucchini Bread
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
This zucchini bread combines whole grains, nuts, brown sugar, and spices for a flavorful and slightly sweet loaf with a crunchy turbinado sugar crust.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (99 g) all purpose flour, unbleached
- 1 cup (130 g) whole wheat flour (can substitute all purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed dark brown sugar (light brown can be substituted)
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) walnut oil (optional for depth of flavor)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to ensure even distribution of the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then add the vegetable oil, walnut oil (if using), and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the grated zucchini and chopped pecans gently until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- For a nice depth of flavor, replace 1/4 cup of oil with walnut oil.
- Adding 1/2 cup of dates or raisins can be a nice addition.
- Grated carrots can be substituted for the zucchini.
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 30
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Cranberry Pecan Bread
- Kalács – Traditional Hungarian Sweet Braided Bread
- Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread
- Rava (Khara) Bath Recipe: Perfecting the South Indian Breakfast Classic
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the turbinado sugar on top do?
The 2 tbsp of turbinado sugar sprinkled over the batter just before baking creates a sweet, crunchy top crust. The article specifically calls this out as a distinguishing feature of the recipe — the coarse sugar caramelizes during the 50–60 minute bake at 350°F (175°C) to form a crunchy contrast to the moist interior.
What does the optional walnut oil add and can I skip it?
The notes say replacing 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil with walnut oil adds “a nice depth of flavor.” It is marked optional in the ingredient list — the bread works fine with the full 1/2 cup (120 ml) of vegetable oil if you don’t have walnut oil on hand.
The article says zucchini doesn’t freeze well — does that apply to this bread?
No — the article’s note that “zucchini does not freeze well” refers to the raw vegetable, not the finished bread. The notes say the baked zucchini bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Zucchini Bread Ingredients for two regular loaf pans:3 eggs1 cup oil2 cups shrdeded raw zucchini1 3/4 cups sugar1/4 teaspoon baking powder2 teaspoons baking soda2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons vanilla1 cup chopped nuts2 cups flourDirections:Put zucchini in a strainer and press or squeeze with hands to get excess liquid out. Beat eggs, sugar, and oil together. Add flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and nuts. Mix together by hand. Add zucchini (minus liquid). Beat mixture. Pour into 2 greased, floured, loaf pans.Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.
there are so many zucchini in our garden, I have been using them in many different ways and I really like your idea. Thanks for the recipe, definitely have to give it a try :)
They are abundant this time of year! Thank you. This is one recipe that I usually double or there is none left for the cook!
Gorgeous loaf of zucchini bread, love your spices and old fashioned oats in your recipe.
Thank you. It is a tasty way to use that stash of zucchini!