Zucchini Bread

Name: Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; pinch of nutmeg; 1 large egg; 1 large egg yolk; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted; 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup shredded zucchini (packed); 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Jump to Recipe

This easy Zucchini Bread is so good, it’s hard not to eat the whole loaf! You won’t even know there’s actually zucchini in there!

A MOIST ZUCCHINI BREAD RECIPE

When zucchini starts popping up in the garden, you can guarantee I’m making all the zucchini recipes! This zucchini bread turns out perfect every time! It’s the perfect way to use up all that extra zucchini from your garden or any that you grab from your local farmer’s market. This bread is moist, flavorful, and goes amazing with some soft salted butter on top! You really don’t taste the zucchini but it’s nice to get some extra veggies in wherever you can!

Looking down on a loaf of Zucchini Bread that has a few slices cut off.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why add zucchini to bread?

Zucchini adds a lot of moisture when added to baked goods like breads or brownies! It also adds a healthy touch. Most people don’t actually taste it as a separate ingredient.

Do you leave the skin on zucchini when making bread?

Yes, you should leave the skin on zucchini when making bread. The skin helps keep the moisture in the zucchini and infuses a great flavor into the bread. In addition, many of the nutrients are contained in the skin. When using zucchini for baking, make sure it is fresh and doesn’t have any soft spots.

Why is my zucchini bread soggy?

While it isn’t common for the bread to be soggy, it usually happens because the oven temperature was not kept at a consistent temperature. For example, if you keep opening the oven to check on the bread, the oven loses almost 25 degrees each time you do that. Try to resist opening that oven door. When the bread is baked at too low of a temperature, it won’t cook evenly and will stay wet even though the top looks baked. The best way to avoid soggy zucchini bread is to make sure you are accurately measuring all ingredients and making sure that your oven is baking at the appropriate temperature using a separate thermometer for accuracy.

What can I substitute for oil in zucchini bread?

When substituting for oil in zucchini bread, you have a few options. You can use ½ cup melted butter or margarine and ½ cup applesauce or mashed banana. Just note that you may need to adjust the baking time as some liquids can take longer to cook than oil does.

Can I add a topping?

Absolutely! For added deliciousness, try drizzling your bread with a powdered sugar glaze, cream cheese glaze, or melted chocolate. For a simpler touch, a dusting of powdered sugar works just as well. If you prefer a creamier indulgence, buttercream or cream cheese icing are great options to spread on top. Also, if you want to take this loaf up another level, add some chocolate chips to the batter!

What is the best way to store zucchini bread?

The best way to keep zucchini bread is to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it at room temperature. If you plan to eat the bread within 2 days, you can simply leave it out on the counter (just keep it covered). If you’d like your bread to last longer than a few days, then refrigerating or freezing it is your best bet. Refrigerating zucchini bread will help it last up to one week.

Can you freeze zucchini bread?

Yup! To freeze zucchini bread, first wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then place it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Zucchini bread stored this way can last up to three months in the freezer. Be sure to label and date any items you freeze so that you know how long they have been stored.

Two slices of Zucchini Bread with a sweet spread on top on a plate.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

all-purpose flour – you can use self-rising flour, just leave out the salt and baking powder (keep the baking soda).
baking powder and baking soda – these two are actually going to work together to really get that bread to rise while also helping with browning. Make sure these are both fresh and not expired.
ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg – this is going to really give it that nice warm spice flavor.
whole egg and egg yolk – eggs work best in baked goods when they are at room temperature.
vegetable oil – you can also use canola or olive oil.
unsalted butter – if you only have salted butter then you can certainly use that, just don’t add the additional salt in this recipe.
light brown sugar and granulated sugar – you could use just all white sugar but I found when I traded some out for the light brown sugar, it really just added something special to this bread.
shredded zucchini – look for zucchini that is slightly firm and doesn’t have any soft spots.
chopped walnuts – you could trade these out for pecans or almonds or leave it out altogether.

All-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, shredded zucchini, and chopped walnuts.

HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI BREAD

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray and, line with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, oil, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

a collage of two photos: a mixing bowl with flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg; a separate mixing bowl with egg, egg yolk, oil, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.

Stir in the zucchini and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined with no dry patches, you do not want to overmix.

a collage of two photos: shredded zucchini added to the mixing bowl with wet ingredients; flour mixture added to the wet zucchini mixture in the bowl.

Pour into the prepared pan, smooth out the top if needed. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Use the paper to help lift the bread out of the pan.