Social Kitchen

I know what you’re thinking: “zucchini again?!”  It’s been zucchini overload in the past couple of months, I realize.  And I also am aware that just because I’ve found a new love in zucchini does not mean that I have to impose it on you.  But I have something to say about this.  A couple things, actually:

1. I want you to make this bread, but I have absolutely no idea when zucchini season ends.  It definitely seems like a summer vegetable (but I wouldn’t know, I only started liking it this year).  But it’s still appearing in abundance at the grocery store.  Which could actually all be lies because grocery stores are also selling strawberries (whose season ended back in June, of course).  But my point is I obviously want you to make this when zucchinies are available (though not necessarily “in season”).  And they’re available now!

2. Its not really the zucchini that’s highlighted here.  It’s the spices!  It’s just called zucchini bread, and though it may be an active ingredient, it’s not the star.  I would say the star is the nutmeg…in which case you can call this “nutmeg zucchini bread”.  (You can’t get rid of the zucchini altogether from the name because it’s still a pretty integral component of this bread.  You understand).

3. I don’t have a number 3.  Oh, except to say that I promise I won’t post another zucchini recipe for at least another 6 months!  Even though I’m very sure I’ll make this particular recipe several times in the next six months (only, of course, if I will be able to find zucchinies at the grocery store).  But this has got to be my favorite zucchini recipe thus far.  This bread is also very warm and cozy: that was one last attempt to make you want to make another zucchini recipe.  Now I’ll stop.

Zucchini Bread (adapted from here)

3 eggs
scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease two loaf pans, liberally.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder salt and nuts in a separate bowl.

Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix well, making sure that all of the flour is well mixed. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 50-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan, on a wire rack, for about an hour, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

Photo 1 Credit: Hannah Mellman

This entry was posted on October 13, 2011 at 9:03 am and is filed under breakfast, sweet, Uncategorized.

Tags: bread