The Easiest Zucchini Bread Recipe Is The Best

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This Zucchini Bread Has Got It All

Here is the easiest zucchini bread recipe. It's so good you'll never need to look further because you won't find a better one anywhere. This recipe uses vegetable oil, which means it will stay moist long after a loaf made with butter has dried out. The amount of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla is perfectly balanced, and the texture is divine. Yes, I am in love.

But right or wrong, I can never leave well enough alone because it's my nature to be excessive. I added a light buttery vanilla glaze, which I love, but the bread is good enough; it's unnecessary, so leave it off if you prefer. It's your loaf, your call.

How To Pick The Best Zucchini For Baking

Here is a picture of a tub of fresh zucchini in my favorite produce guy's store, Andrew's Garden. Gorgeous zucchini, plentiful and perfect in size for baking. When zucchini is at its peak of production, it's a race to pick them before they get big enough to use for baseball bats or small boats! 

Choose zucchini that look like these for baking. The skin should be shiny, smooth, and as unblemished as possible. When you tap a zuke, it should not sound hollow. Smallish zukes don't have a large seed cavity yet; you can shred and use the entire thing in your zucchini bread.

Three Good Reasons Why Bakers Love Zucchini

By late summer, zucchini is so abundant that gardeners run out of ideas on how to use it, share it, freeze it, or store it! There's an old summertime joke in Nebraska about zucchini, "Keep your cars locked and your windows rolled up, or you will find zucchini in your back seat!"

There is so much to love about "zukes" in baking. Here are just three things!

1. Zucchini is used in bread, cakes, and muffins, like bananas or applesauce. It contributes to the wonderful texture and yummy moistness without adding its own flavor.
2. Shredded zucchini bulks up baked goods for more volume. Think taller bread, loftier muffins!
3. Zucchini boosts nutrition, especially if you don't peel them. The beautiful green peel holds much nutritional value and looks gorgeous in light-colored bread. The green flecks in chocolate zucchini cakes and bread do not show at all.

There's More Than One Way To Shred A Zucchini

A food processor with a grater blade makes this process a snap. I have used a good old box grater for many years and have scarred knuckles to prove it.

If you have a spiralizer, you can use that and then chop the long strands into smaller bits. You can also use a chopper or a knife to get the right texture.

For best results, shred the zucchini shortly before baking. Heap the shredded zucchini into the measuring cup and press it lightly; don't pack it. You do not need to squeeze any moisture out; it's already perfect. And it won't matter much if you have a little more or a bit less.

How To Make The Easiest Zucchini Bread Recipe In Just One Bowl

I've always looked for ways to do things faster because I'm always in a hurry. I consider this somewhat of a character flaw, but, by golly, it has helped me find some pretty nifty shortcuts over the years. This is one of them!

Start with a big mixing bowl. You do not need to sift your dry ingredients together first! Whisk your eggs, oil, and sugars (and any other "wet" ingredients in other recipes). THEN add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and spices, stirring just enough that no streaks of flour show! This way, like magic, the dry ingredients will always be well distributed.

A light touch ensures the bread will stay tender. Long mixing causes the development of gluten, which makes the bread tougher and chewier.

Finally, gently fold the zucchini into the batter and walnuts; if you use them, pour the batter into a greased 9" x 5" standard loaf pan.

I tried baking with a parchment sling this time. I had parchment sheets on hand, not a roll. Since I'm cheap thrifty, I used half a sheet, which worked.

You still grease or spray the pan and the parchment, but it did make getting the bread out of the pan easier. I'm sure it would work even better if the parchment were the same length as the pan!

I love to share baked goods so much that I immediately made it again, doubled the recipe, and made two loaves! I shared one right away, and I'm sharing more later today, but the first bite is always mine. Yep, I am in love with this one.

PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Yield: 16 slices

Easiest Zucchini Bread Recipe

Print

You will love this zucchini bread like no other. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla are balanced perfectly, and the texture is divine.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• BREAD
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated would be wonderful
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 lightly packed cups of shredded zucchini
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

GLAZE

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp butter flavoring (I used Watkins)
• 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray or grease a standard 9" by 5" loaf pan. If desired, add a parchment sling. Spray or grease the parchment, too.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sugars, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Whisk or stir until the "wet" ingredients are well mixed.
5. Next, add the flour and stir gently, just enough so no flour streaks appear. Don't overmix.
6. Gently fold shredded zucchini into the batter.
7. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for about one hour until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf from the side.
9. Cool on a rack for 10- 15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan.
10. Allow the loaf to cool completely before glazing.
11. Combine powdered sugar, extracts, and water in a small container with a pouring lip.
12. Drizzle glaze over the loaf and allow it to dry before slicing it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 168mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 4g

"Quickbreads" is a term for bread made with baking soda, baking powder, or other leavenings other than yeast! Do you have a favorite quickbread recipe? Here are a few more that we love: Blueberry Lemon Bread and Best Banana Bread.

If you liked this recipe, you are my people! Please share it on your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! It would sure tickle me, and I would be ever so grateful!

If you haven't already, please look for me on Facebook and Pinterest. I share easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes there every week!

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Love, GB (Betty Streff)

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