Moist and delicious, this is a quick bread recipe with a healthy dose of grated zucchini, pineapple, and whole wheat flour. It's very easy to make, keeps really well, and can be frozen. It has walnuts for crunchiness and can be adapted into muffins or a tube cake.
Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. I like to line them with a strip of parchment paper (aluminum foil works too) covering the bottom and two short sides. It'll be easier to remove the loaf from the pan by lifting the ends of the paper.
Grate the zucchini. I recommend using a large-holed microplane grater or coarsebox grater. Do not use small hole graters because the zucchini clumps and doesn't distribute well in the batter.
Stir together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Lightly beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and oil in a medium bowl.
Add the shredded zucchini to the wet ingredients and mix well. If they released liquid between the time you grated and added them to the batter, squeeze them out before adding.
Add the flour mixture and stir *just* until combined. Do not beat or mix too much.
Stir in the chopped walnuts and pineapple and mix well.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans. Smooth top.
Bake for about 50 minutes until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, and the loaf springs back when lightly touched.
Cool on a wire rack before removing from the pans.
Refrigerate leftovers covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Notes
Zucchini: grate them at the last moment possible to avoid them from releasing liquid. Do so with a coarse grater (large holes) or in the processor, as I do. But be careful not to make a zucchini paste if processing them. But make sure they are minced. This recipe doesn't work well if you coarsely chop the zucchini.
Flour: you can use only all-purpose or cake flour, but I think that adding a part of whole wheat flour makes it richer. Make sure it's superfine flour for best results. I use one that is almost as fine as all-purpose. If you use a coarser whole wheat flour the bread will have a denser texture.
Alternative flours: you can use a small amount of oat flour or almond flour to add more texture. About ¼ cup that you need to substract from the white flour.
Pineapple: I tried this recipe both with canned and fresh pineapple. The former gives better results, but, if you want to use fresh fruit anyway, the bread will still be very good but less sweet and with less depth of flavor. Make sure it is finely chopped.
Nuts: walnuts are perfect for this recipe, but pecans work just as well. I haven't tried it with any other nut, though I think macadamias and hazelnuts would probably work.
Keeping: this bread keeps for one day at room temperature. But be careful if the room is hot since fruits ferment and ruin the bread, especially pineapple. If that is the case I suggest you keep it in the fridge, well wrapped. You can also freeze it, well wrapped, for a month. I like to cut it before freezing and take out as many slices as I need. Then warm it in the oven or toast it.
Making zucchini pineapple muffins: follow the recipe and use regular muffin tins with or without paper liners. Fill them ¾ full. It yields a lot, like 24 regular muffins, so consider halving it or be prepared to freeze some. Eat them plain or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar if you enjoy a sweeter muffin.
This whole grain bread recipe also gives you the added nutrient benefits of zucchini. Zucchini is a great source of the antioxidant vitamin C. Plus, the phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin promote healthy eyesight. When selecting zucchini, look for one with a slightly prickly and shiny skin.
Don't peel the zucchini – Yes, it's tempting to remove the zucchini's skin, but there is no need to do that. Zucchini melts into the bread, so peeling is just an unnecessary step. Do grate the zucchini – I don't know about you, but when it comes to zucchini in bread, I want it there – but I don't want to see it.
Some recipes tell you to remove extra moisture from the grated zucchini by squeezing it in a clean kitchen towel. But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though.
The most common reason for zucchini breadand other quick breads (and cakes) to collapse as they cool is the ingredients are too vigorously or quickly mixed, which incorporates lots of less stable air bubbles into the batter.
Carotenoids — such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene — are particularly plentiful in zucchini ( 3 ). These may benefit your eyes, skin, and heart, as well as offer some protection against certain types of cancer, such as prostate cancer ( 4 ).
Zucchini is packed with many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It has a high fiber content and a low calorie count. Fiber plays an important role in digestion and may limit the likelihood of suffering from a variety of GI issues.
A simple box grater does a much better job at preserving the integrity of your zucchini. This is less of an issue for quick breads, where the zucchini essentially "melts" as it bakes. But for fritters, crusts or tortillas (where texture is important), stick to a box grater.
Yes, it's advisable to refrigerate zucchini bread to extend its shelf life. Zucchini bread contains moisture from ingredients like zucchini, and moisture can promote the growth of mold and bacteria at room temperature. Refrigeration helps slow down these processes, keeping the bread fresher for a more extended period.
You can combat this by baking longer, or upping the temp a bit. If the oven temp is not the issue, then start adding a tablespoon or two less liquid to your batters (you may live in a humid climate and your flours may be absorbing moisture; too much moisture can make for a gummy product).
Don't slice zucchini bread until you're ready to enjoy it; slicing will allow the bread to dry out quicker. Glazing your bread will also keep it moister.
One common reason some zucchini bread tastes bad is a recipe that uses baking soda without an acidic ingredient to neutralize it, which can result in a soapy or metallic taste.
Adding too much or insufficient leavening agents: Adding too much leaveners will cause your quick bread to sink in the middle. Baking at a high altitude: Adjust the amount of leaveners depending on your location. If you are baking at a high altitude, you need less baking powder or baking soda.
It is important to thoroughly coat the sides and bottoms of the pan with solid shortening or non-stick cooking spray, particularly in the corners. A missed spot will result in sticking. Use a nonstick baking pan.
But a good loaf of zucchini bread can be seriously delicious. The secret lies in the squash itself, lending the bread a wonderfully moist texture and a slightly savory flavor that complements the warm spices. To me, the perfect loaf is rich and cakey, and stays soft for days after it's baked.
Whole grain or sprouted grain breads with minimal ingredients can be a nutrient-dense and delicious addition to a healthy diet. “Sprouted grain bread is typically higher in protein, fiber and beneficial vitamins and minerals than other breads,” says Sassos.
Also, zucchini contains soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber help keep the gut healthy and promote good digestion. It does this by adding bulk to the stool to help it move more easily through the gut, reducing the risk for constipation.
Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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