Zucchini Bread Recipe
Make this Zucchini Bread Recipe for a moist, spiced loaf that uses fresh zucchini and simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
- Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for greasing a 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells), at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral vegetable oil (such as canola or sunflower), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (about 260 g) finely grated zucchini, excess moisture gently squeezed out (from about 2 small to medium zucchini)
- 3/4 cup (75 g) chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted (optional)
- 1/2 cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) coarse turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and prepare the loaf pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the center for even heat. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom and long sides with a parchment sling, leaving an overhang to lift the loaf out later; grease the parchment lightly as well. This simple prep lets the bread release cleanly and creates the rectangular geometry we'll preserve through the shoot.
Step 2: Whisk the dry spices and leaveners together
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl until evenly blended: all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Aim for a smooth, homogenous pale tan mixture with no visible streaks of spice—this even distribution is the foundation of a uniform crumb.
Step 3: Beat eggs and sugars to ribbon stage
In a large mixing bowl whisk the room-temperature eggs with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is lighter in color and begins to fall from the whisk in soft ribbons—about 1–2 minutes. The texture should be glossy and slightly aerated; this is what helps the loaf rise and gives a tender crumb.
Step 4: Emulsify oil, yogurt, and vanilla into the wet base
Add the neutral vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla to the egg-sugar mixture and whisk until completely smooth and emulsified with no visible oil streaks. The batter surface should look unified and satiny, the consistency slightly loose but cohesive—ready to accept the zucchini shreds.
Step 5: Prepare the zucchini
Finely grate the zucchini on the small holes of a box grater and measure roughly 2 cups. Gather the shreds in a clean towel or several paper towels and gently press out excess moisture until the shreds are damp but not dripping. Fluff them with your fingers so they separate into loose, glistening green threads that fold easily into batter.
Step 6: Fold the zucchini into the wet mixture
Add the prepared, drained zucchini directly to the emulsified wet mixture and fold with a spatula until the green shreds are evenly distributed. The wet bowl should show bright, textured strands of zucchini suspended in a glossy pale batter—moist, flecked, and airy.
Step 7: Combine the dry and wet in gentle folds
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet in two additions, folding gently after each addition just until you no longer see pockets of flour. Scrape the bowl thoroughly so there are no dry streaks, but stop as soon as the batter is mostly smooth with a few small lumps—overmixing tightens the crumb. At this stage the batter will be thick but still pourable and full of visible zucchini shreds.
Step 8: Fold in mix-ins (optional)
If using, fold in toasted chopped walnuts or pecans and/or semisweet chocolate chips just until evenly dispersed. The batter should feel dense and textured, studded with warm brown nut fragments or glossy chocolate spots that contrast against the pale-green flecks of zucchini.
Step 9: Transfer to the prepared pan and finish the top
Scrape the batter into the prepared 9×5 loaf pan, spread it into an even layer and smooth the surface with a spatula. If you like, sprinkle coarse turbinado sugar across the top for a crackly, glittering crust. The pan should show a neatly filled rectangular volume, the batter level and studded where nuts or chips peek through.
Step 10: Bake, cool, unmold, and serve
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes until the top is deeply golden-brown and domed, a skewer inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, and the loaf springs back lightly when pressed. Let the pan rest on a rack 10–15 minutes to set the structure, then use the parchment sling to lift the loaf out and cool completely on the rack for at least an hour before slicing into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces. The finished bread should reveal a moist, tender crumb with visible zucchini shreds and toasted nut or chocolate bits; serve plain or with softened butter.
Notes
- Do not over-squeeze the zucchini; it should be damp, not dripping.
- Use room-temperature eggs and yogurt for better emulsification.
- Check the loaf at 50 minutes and add time as needed; ovens vary.
- Freeze slices individually for quick breakfasts and toast straight from frozen.
- Swap half the oil for applesauce to reduce fat and add natural sweetness.