Zucchini Bread with Pecans

Zucchini Bread with Pecans

Jessie Cagliero
Recipes, Breads

Comforting and warm flavors of cinnamon, allspice and the subtle sweetness of zucchini, this moist and delicious quick bread is the perfect way to use the summer vegetable.

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So what is Zucchini anyway?

Zucchini is a summer squash which harvests from May to September and is known for it’s oblong, smooth shape and thin dark green skin.

Growing zucchini at home can be a rewarding experience due to the abundance versatility of the fruit. Zucchini can be eaten fresh, grilled, fried, baked, or added to breads.

Why you’ll love Zucchini Bread

  • Lightly sweet comfort - This bread is not too sweat which is exactly what I love about it! The mild flavor of zucchini blends nicely with traditional baking spices like cinnamon and allspice that are so comforting to eat.

  • The perfect texture - because zucchini is mostly made up of water, this bread is really moist.

  • Easy to make - Once you have shredded your zucchini, this is a one bowl operation and should only take about fifteen minutes to prepare, and because there are minimal dishes used, you can relax and enjoy the delicious smell of baked bread for the 45 - 50 minutes the bread spends in the oven.

Recipe Tips for the best Zucchini Bread

  • I always use parchment paper to line the bread pan. It makes it so much easier to remove the bread once it’s done baking.

  • Because breads are dense, they can take a little longer to bake in the oven than other baked goods, and this can lead to the top browning too quickly. If you find that the edges of your bread are turning dark, cover the bread by loosely placing a piece of foil over the top, then let the bread finish baking.

  • A great bake is the key to the perfect quick bread. The goal is to get the bread out of the oven right when it is ready - once the bread has risen and the top looks light golden brown, insert and remove a knife (or toothpick) into the center of the bread. If it comes out with dough still on it, bake another five minutes and check again. Once the knife (or toothpick) comes out clean, remove the bread immediately from the oven.

  • Let the bread cool for 10 - 15 minutes, then loosen up the sides with a knife as needed and pull the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper walls as handles. Let the bread cool the rest of the way on a drying rack. The bread will continue to cook if left too long in the hot pan, and this can leave the edges of the bread thick and dry.

Zucchini Bread FAQ

  • Absolutely! In fact, I will have to try this next time because it sounds like an amazing combination.

  • Getting the bake right is essential. If you over bake the zucchini bread, it will become dry. The key moment to remove the bread from the oven is when a knife is inserted into the center and comes out clean.

    To avoid over baking, try adding a piece of foil to the top of the bread half way through the bake. This will keep the edges from getting too brown which can add to dryness as well.

    Remove the bread from the pan as soon as the pan is cool enough to touch. This will prevent the bread from cooking too long in the hot pan which can cause dry edges.

  • Absolutely! The bread will keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. See directions below for how to store and freeze zucchini bread.

    You can also make the batter ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two days prior to baking. Just let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking the batter.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/3 cup grapeseed oil

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 egg

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 1/2 large whole zucchini)

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus 1/4 cup for topping

  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for topping

How to make Zucchini Bread

Prep

  1. If you have whole zucchini, shred using a cheese grater and set aside.

  2. If you have whole pecans, chop them roughly and set them aside.

  3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

  4. Preheat oven to 325℉.

Mix

  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until well combined and set aside.

  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add oil and sugar and mix on medium until well combined, about 30 seconds.

  3. Add egg, zucchini, and pure vanilla extract and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

  4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

  5. Add the 1/2 cup chopped pecans and mix until incorporated throughout the batter evenly.

Bake

  1. Pour and spread batter evenly into loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans and turbanado sugar over the top of the batter.

  2. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Then Place a piece of foil over the pan and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes. Check the bread by inserting and removing a knife into the center of the bread. If there is still uncooked dough on the knife, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the knife check. Continue until the knife comes out barely clean, then remove the bread from the oven.

  3. Let stand to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread and place it on a cooling rack to continue cooling the rest of the way.

  4. Slice the bread once it has cooled completely, or about 1 hour.

How to Store

Store zucchini bread at room temperature in an air tight container for up to two days, or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or pop in the toaster for a freshly baked effect.

You can also freeze zucchini bread easily. Just place (fully baked and cooled) in an air tight freezer container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.

→ Optional serving suggestion: after the bread has thawed, pop it into the toaster and spread a little butter on it.

zucchini, baking with zucchini, baking with summer squash, how to bake with zucchini, zucchini baking ideas
bread
american
Servings: 12
Author: Jessie Cagliero
Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

Comforting and warm flavors of cinnamon, allspice and the subtle sweetness of zucchini, this moist and delicious quick bread is the perfect way to use the summer vegetable.

Prep time: 30 minutesCook time: 50 minutesTotal time: 1 H & 20 M
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Directions

Prep
  1. If you have whole zucchini, shred using a cheese grater and set aside.
  2. If you have whole pecans, chop them roughly and set them aside.
  3. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 325℉.
Mix
  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until well combined and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add oil and sugar and mix on medium until well combined, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add egg, zucchini, and pure vanilla extract and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Add the 1/2 cup chopped pecans and mix until incorporated throughout the batter evenly.
Bake
  1. Pour and spread batter evenly into loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chopped pecans and turbanado sugar over the top of the batter.
  2. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Then Place a piece of foil over the pan and bake for another 25 - 30 minutes. Check the bread by inserting and removing a knife into the center of the bread. If there is still uncooked dough on the knife, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the knife check. Continue until the knife comes out barely clean, then remove the bread from the oven.
  3. Let stand to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread and place it on a cooling rack to continue cooling the rest of the way.
  4. Slice the bread once it has cooled completely, or about 1 hour.

*Nutrition is auto-calculated by recipes generator.

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