Sweet Zucchini Bread Recipe

Growing up, my parents have always had a huge garden in their backyard with gorgeous fresh vegetables.  I have so many memories of picking fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and the largest zucchini you have ever seen!  These fresh vegetables would always be a side dish with our dinner, and sometimes a special baked treat!

I love when vegetables can be transformed from the typical savory dish into a sweet, delicate, and delicious delicacy.  My mom is a wonderful baker and would always take her enormous zucchini and bake the most beautiful breads.  This bread is amazing with a cup of tea for breakfast or snack.  They also freeze really well, which allows you can savor the summer taste of zucchini all year long.  Baking this bread always makes my house smell so sweet, I wish I could bottle it up!

Sweet Zucchini Bread Recipe

Recipe from the Joy of Cooking

Makes one 9x5-inch loaf

Preheat oven to 350^o

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium sized bowl.  Set this mixture aside.

In a second large bowl, blend the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla and salt together until smooth.  Next, stir in the dry ingredients until well incorporated.  Then add in the zucchini.  Once fully blended, scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan.  Bake the bread until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes.  Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before trying to remove the bread from the pan. 

Enjoy!

Tips:

1)      The key to making a great zucchini bread is to remove all excess moisture from the shredded zucchini.

2)      Add in 1 ½ cups of chopped pecans or walnuts to add a crunchy texture to the soft bread.

3)      Change it up a bit and add 1 ½ cups of mini chocolate chips

4)      If you have lots of zucchini this summer, bake a few batches of this bread and freeze it for the winter!