If you’ve got a couple of zucchinis on the counter, this is the cozy bake to make. This zucchini bread is soft, tender, and sweet in that nostalgic, bakery-style way. It comes together with simple pantry ingredients and a few smart tips for guaranteed moisture.
No fancy tools, no complicated steps—just dependable, homemade goodness. Slice it warm, slather with butter, and enjoy a classic that never goes out of style.
Contents
What Makes This Special
This recipe leans into what zucchini does best: adding moisture without overpowering flavor. You get a loaf that’s plush and tender with a lightly spiced crumb.
It’s sweet but not cloying, and it toasts beautifully the next day. The batter mixes by hand, so cleanup is easy. Plus, it’s flexible—add nuts, chocolate chips, or swap in part whole wheat flour and it still turns out great.
What You’ll Need
- 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium; no need to peel)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or use all all-purpose)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional but nice)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional add-ins: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup raisins
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top (optional, for crunch)
How to Make It
- Prep your pan and oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling for easy removal.
- Grate the zucchini. Use the large holes of a box grater. Lightly blot with a clean towel if it’s very wet, but don’t squeeze it dry—you want that moisture.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, yogurt (or sour cream), vanilla, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
- Combine. Pour wet ingredients into the dry. Stir gently with a spatula until a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in zucchini and add-ins. Add grated zucchini and any nuts or chips.Fold just until evenly dispersed. The batter will be thick and slightly lumpy—perfect.
- Fill the pan. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with a little turbinado sugar for a crackly finish if you like.
- Bake. Place on the center rack and bake 55–65 minutes, or until the top is set and a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool properly. Cool in the pan 10–15 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack.Let it cool at least 45 minutes before slicing to lock in moisture.
- Serve. Slice with a serrated knife. Enjoy warm, at room temp, or toasted with butter or cream cheese.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Wrap the fully cooled loaf tightly in plastic or store in an airtight container. Keeps moist for 3–4 days.
- Refrigerator:</-strong> Not necessary, but if your kitchen runs hot, chill it well wrapped for up to a week.Bring to room temp or toast before eating.
- Freezer: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic, then foil, or place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw slices at room temp or gently warm in the toaster.
Benefits of This Recipe
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