This Zucchini Bread recipe is the absolute best we've ever tried! It's also easy and quick-to-make;in fact, you'll only need one bowl and a wooden spoon to whip it together. And don't worry -- you won't taste the zucchini. It's the "secret" ingredient to deliver a perfectly moist quick bread.
PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and then sprinkle flour in one 9x4-inch bread pan; set aside. Melt 1/3 cup butter in microwave then set aside to cool so it isn't hot. For the zucchini, wash and completely dry; then grate (unpeeled) on the large holes of the grater. Gently pick up the shredded zucchini and place in measuring cups (loosely measure to the very top, but do not pack in measuring cups -- no need to wring out excess liquid).
WET INGREDIENTS: Using a wooden spoon, mix together all of the wet ingredients until completely combined. Don't use hand or stand mixers -- it beats in too much air.
DRY INGREDIENTS: Right on top of the wet ingredients, add in all of the dry ingredients except the flour. Mix. Now add in the flour and mix until completely combined and you have a smooth batter. Once incorporated, stop mixing (over-mixing can result in a dense loaf of bread).
BAKE: Use a spatula to scrape every bit of batter from bowl to prepared pan. Smooth the top then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake in fully heated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs when inserted into the center.
COOL: Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then remove from the pan and allow to finish cooling on a cooling rack before slicing with a sharp serrated knife (it crumbles if cut when too hot). (See Note 3.)
STORAGE: We like to finish this bread within 1-2 days of being made. (It's even more moist, spiced, and flavorful on day 2!) After the second day, it begins to lose texture (becoming too moist). It can, however, last up to a week stored in an airtight container and tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. After the second day, I recommend storing it in the fridge. Wrap each slice tightly and place in an airtight container.
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Notes
Note 1: Loaf pan: Be sure to use the correct size of pan so the recipe works properly. Here's the loaf panwe use and love--it is quite wide. A more narrow 9x5-inch pan takes about 10-15 minutes longer to bake and an 8x4-inch pan is too small! If you do use an 8x4-inch pan, only add about 75% of the batter (use leftovers for some muffins) and note that bake time is shorter. Don't forget to generously grease the bread pan. Grease with nonstick spray (or rub on shortening) and then lightly dust with flour. Alternatively, line it with parchment paper. If you line with parchment paper, leave an overhang for easy removal. Note 2: Zucchini: This recipe requires about 1 medium-sized zucchini. Note 3: Cooling the bread: Wait 15 minutes after baking to remove the bread from the pan. Baking is still happening, even out of the oven! It’s best to let the loaf sit in the pan to finish solidifying before trying to invert the loaf. Cool loaf on a wire cooling rack. Run a table knife along the edge of the pan and invert the loaf onto the wire rack. Quick breads need to be elevated so air can circulate around all sides as it cools. Otherwise, moisture (from the heat of the bread) will condense on the bottom of the bread, making it damp and slightly sticky.