Nice to have but not necessary- a food processor (for grating the zucchini)
- a whisk (for beating the eggs)
- a spatula
The recipe
2 eggs
1/2 cup/125 mL cooking oil
1/2 cup/125 mL honey
1 cup/250 mL grated zucchini
1/2 cup/125 mL crushed pineapple, drained
1 tsp/5 mL vanilla
2 cups/500 mL whole wheat flour
1 tsp/5 mL baking soda
1/2 tsp/2 mL baking powder
1/2 tsp/2 mL salt
1/2 tsp/2 mL cinnamon
1/2 tsp/2 mL nutmeg
1/2 cup/125 mL raisins
1/2 cup/125 mL dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
Grease a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
Add the oil and the honey. Mix well.
Add the zucchini, pineapple and vanilla. Mix.
Into a medium bowl, put the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well with a fork.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Stir just enough to mix. Don't over stir.
Add the raisins and cranberries.
Pour into the greased loaf pan.
Bake until a skewer (or piece of spaghetti) poked in the middle of the loaf comes out clean (about 45-60 minutes or even longer).
Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Substitutions
- Use another kind of flour (spelt, white, kamut, etc.) in place of the whole wheat flour.
- If you don't have dried cranberries, use 1 cup/250 mL raisins.
Ideas for making this recipe your own
- Experiment with different dried fruits. If you use larger fruits like dried apricots, use kitchen shears to cut them into small pieces.
- Add nuts instead of - or as well as - the dried fruit. Walnuts would taste especially good. How about pecans or almonds?
Tips
- Use the same measuring cup to measure the oil and the honey. Don't wash it in between. The honey will slide out of the cup easily.
- Don't peel the zucchini before grating it. The dark green flecks of skin look nice in the bread!
- In late summer, when zucchini is plentiful and inexpensive, buy lots. Grate it and freeze it in batches of 1 1/2 cups/375 mL. The night before you plan to make zucchini bread, take out a container of frozen zucchini and let it thaw overnight. The next day, just pour off any excess water. You will be left with about 1 cup/250 mL grated zucchini, just enough for this zucchini bread recipe.
- Baking time will vary quite a bit, depending on the dimensions of your loaf pan, and the moistness of your zucchini. Be sure that the loaf is completely cooked in the middle!
- To test for doneness, poke a skewer or a piece of uncooked spaghetti into the middle of the loaf. (A toothpick is too short.) Be sure to poke right to the bottom of the pan. If there is any batter clinging to the spaghetti when you pull it out, the loaf is not done.
- If you can't be sure if the loaf is done, cut a thin slice from the very middle of the loaf and eat it. It should be moist but not soggy. (The ends and edges may be done when the middle is still uncooked.)
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