ZUCCHINI BREAD - Married with a cup of hot coffee or tea is very comforting
What sets this zucchini bread apart from the bazillion others is the wonderful aromatic combination of spices which are a tad different. I have to thank my neighbor, Twilda, for sharing her recipe with me. If you actually searched for this recipe, you likely have a vegetable garden like me or you may have been given fresh zucchini by a friend or family member and suddenly discovered it to be the perfect time to bake a yummy zucchini bread. Plus, it’s a great way to eat your veggies. Zucchini bread is flexible too; you can have it for breakfast with a cup of hot coffee or tea, either as-is, warmed or toasted. I prefer mine with butter or a soft cream cheese. You can even enjoy it for an anytime snack or as dessert. If you are making the full recipe below, you might want to freeze the second loaf. You can also cut this recipe in half which then yields just one loaf.
Makes: 2 Loaves
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Bake Time: 60 minutes
Suggested Tools:
. Loaf pans (standard full loaf size such
as 8 x 4 inch or 9 x 5)
. Medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
. Small mixing bowl (for wet ingredients)
. Small bowl (for whisked eggs)
. Box grater or food processor with shredder attachment
. Measuring cup
. Measuring spoons
. Large stir spoon
. Small stir spoon
. Non-stick baking/cook spray (for preparing loaf pans)
Ingredients:
· 2 cups sugar
. 1 cup neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil
. 3 large eggs, whisked (if dividing the recipe in half for just one loaf, use 2 large eggs)
. 2 teaspoons vanilla
. 2 cups shredded zucchini (that’s usually one large or two small)
Note: Use either a box shredder or food processor. I like to use a smaller shred size rather than the large size, but you can do whatever appeals to you. Squeeze some of the water out of the shredded zucchini but not all of it as the liquid will add some moisture to the bread. I just use my hands to squeeze the zucchini.
. 3 cups All-purpose flour
. ½ teaspoon baking powder
. 1 teaspoon baking soda
. 1 teaspoon salt
. ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
. ½ teaspoon ground cloves
. ½ teaspoon nutmeg
. ½ teaspoon allspice
Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips or raisins
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Place all dry ingredients (except for sugar) into a medium bowl and stir well to combine.
3. Add the sugar into a separate smaller bowl. To the sugar, add the oil, eggs, vanilla and stir to combine. Fold in the zucchini and stir until well mixed.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients a little at a time, stirring in between adding wet ingredients. You should end up with a rather thick yet pourable batter.
5. Prepare your pan(s) with your desired cooking spray. I prefer either a spray designed for baking or a butter flavored spray. Divide batter into the two pans (or just the one loaf if you cut the recipe in half).
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
Note: Since different ovens may vary in temperature, I recommend to start checking on the loaf at the 50-minute mark and if it is not yet ready, then check on the loaf every five minutes going forward until done.
Checking for doneness: To check for doneness, wearing oven mitts, I first give the loaf pan a little shake and if I see a bit of movement on the top, I know it needs more time. If I see no movement, I gently touch the top of the loaf to feel if it is slightly firm with a bit of spring-back (you don’t want to over bake it either). Then if it has a little spring, I use a skinny skewer or toothpick and probe the loaf in the top center and if the tester comes out without any doughy batter on it, it is done.
An alternative to the above doneness test is to use a quick results thermometer; the bake is done at 200 degrees fahrenheit.
7. When the bread is done, transfer pans to a cooling rack, if you have one. Once cooled, lift the bread out onto a plate. You can slice and serve when the bread is either still warm or has cooled. Try butter and/or soft cream cheese spread onto these yummy bread slices.
The Crooked Ladle
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