We didn’t put zucchini in our garden this year because it’s a hearty vegetable that produces with gusto! While I like zucchini, I didn’t have enough recipes in my arsenal to keep up with the demand of a zucchini crop. But, I’ve baked a few recipes this summer I thought you’d enjoy, and I found a savory main dish with zucchini as the star. Even though it is passing the 100-degree mark here in Texas, a southern lady never lets the heat stop her from baking in the kitchen.
Here’s a zucchini chocolate chip bread shared on the Stone Gable blog from Paula Deen. It’s really good but is a departure from the heavy breakfast bread we are typically used to — you know the consistency of the pumpkin bread from Starbucks. This is more like a cake.
ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
1 TBS orange zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9×5 loaf pans.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, pecans, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir all ingredients.
Add all sifted ingredients. And stir in till just mixed.
Pour batter into 2 prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 50 minutes until a skewer is inserted into the middle of the bread and it comes out clean.
Remove from pans to cool.
Here’s one more recipe for Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar and Oats Crumble from my favorite gal Amy Hannon in her cookbook Euna Mae’s – named after her beloved Grandmother.
ZUCCHINI BREAD WITH BROWN SUGAR & OATS CRUMBLE
{makes 2 loaves}3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil {I use canola}
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons good vanilla extract
2 cups fresh grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts-for the topping-
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup soft butter
{makes 2 loaves}3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil {I use canola}
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons good vanilla extract
2 cups fresh grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts-for the topping-
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup soft butter
Grease and flour two 8×4 loaf pans or spray with Baker’s Joy. I prefer glass or stoneware. Do not use metal pans for this bread. Set pans aside and preheat oven for 325.
In a large mixing bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
I suggest using a box grater with the next-to-smallest holes to grate the zucchini because you want the flavor and color of the zucchini and not big hunks of it in your bites. I place the box grater over a small half-sheet pan to collect not only the grated zucchini but also the zucchini liquid. Set aside.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla together until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Then slowly mix in the grated zucchini with juice. Mix just until combined. Stir the walnuts in by hand, making sure to fold them in so they’re distributed well.
Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Place the pans on a baking sheet and place in the center rack of the preheated oven. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
While the loaves are baking, mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and soft butter with a dinner fork, mashing together to crumble and mix the butter in well. When the 15-minute timer goes off, divide the crumble topping between the loaves of bread and return to bake for another 45 minutes. Test cakes with toothpicks or cake testers every 3-4 minutes until toothpicks come out moist-clean. Cool pans for 15 minutes before removing loaves to platters for additional cooling. Store at room temperature covered well with clear wrap.
In a large mixing bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
I suggest using a box grater with the next-to-smallest holes to grate the zucchini because you want the flavor and color of the zucchini and not big hunks of it in your bites. I place the box grater over a small half-sheet pan to collect not only the grated zucchini but also the zucchini liquid. Set aside.
In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla together until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Then slowly mix in the grated zucchini with juice. Mix just until combined. Stir the walnuts in by hand, making sure to fold them in so they’re distributed well.
Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Place the pans on a baking sheet and place in the center rack of the preheated oven. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
While the loaves are baking, mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and soft butter with a dinner fork, mashing together to crumble and mix the butter in well. When the 15-minute timer goes off, divide the crumble topping between the loaves of bread and return to bake for another 45 minutes. Test cakes with toothpicks or cake testers every 3-4 minutes until toothpicks come out moist-clean. Cool pans for 15 minutes before removing loaves to platters for additional cooling. Store at room temperature covered well with clear wrap.
Since each recipe makes two loaves – make one, give one. It’s the perfect pick me up for a friend in need.
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
