Delicious Zucchini Bread

Zucchini is a seriously underrated vegetable. I have never met a zucchini that I didn’t like and although I usually eat it in a healthful dish, I simply cannot resist zucchini bread. Even though zucchini is really a summer vegetable, baking breads is something I enjoy doing in the fall since only crazy people turn their ovens on during summers in this desert.

I adapted this recipe from one I found over at allrecipes.com.  It has just the right amount of zucchini. Also, while the walnuts are optional I do recommend that you add them (unless you have an allergy of course). I love the taste of walnuts but I do not like finding chunks in my bread so I chop them into smithereens before I add them (see the picture below).

Give this recipe a try. It is oh so good and it doesn’t last long around here. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (unbleached is best!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well. Dough will be thick. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into loaf pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and completely cool.