Summer Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x5-inch loaf pan
• •Box grater with large holes
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Wooden skewer or cake tester

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your pan and oven

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 350°F. Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan generously, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess. This bread has a tendency to stick, so don't skip this step. You can also line the bottom with parchment paper for insurance.

   A dark metal pan will produce a darker, thicker crust. Glass or light-colored metal gives a more tender exterior.
2. 2

   Toast the walnuts

   Spread the walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the preheating oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Watch them carefully. You want them fragrant and just turning golden, not dark. They'll continue cooking in the bread. Let them cool while you prepare everything else. This step transforms walnuts from bland to essential.

3. 3

   Grate the zucchini

   Trim the ends from your zucchini but don't peel them. The skin adds color and nutrients. Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the squash into long ribbons. Pile them loosely in a measuring cup. Do not pack them down, and do not squeeze out the liquid. That moisture is your secret weapon for a bread that stays fresh for days.

4. 4

   Combine the dry ingredients

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk thoroughly for at least 30 seconds. This distributes the leavening evenly so your bread rises uniformly. The kitchen should smell warmly of spice.

5. 5

   Mix the wet ingredients

   In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and pale, about 1 minute with a whisk. Stream in the vegetable oil while whisking. Add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing until smooth. The sour cream adds richness and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.

6. 6

   Combine wet and dry

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold everything together with broad strokes. Count them. Ten to fifteen strokes, no more. The batter should be lumpy and rough-looking. Streaks of flour are acceptable. Overmixing is the enemy of tender quick bread.

   If you can still see your batter moving after you stop stirring, you've mixed too much. Work quickly and stop early.
7. 7

   Fold in zucchini and walnuts

   Add the grated zucchini and toasted walnuts to the batter. Fold gently, just until everything is distributed. The batter will look wet and heavy. This is correct. The zucchini releases moisture as it bakes, creating that signature tender crumb.

8. 8

   Fill the pan

   Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it to the edges with your spatula. The pan should be about two-thirds full. Smooth the top gently, then run your spatula down the center lengthwise to create a slight channel. This encourages the bread to crack neatly down the middle as it rises.

9. 9

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. The bread is done when the top is deeply golden and domed, the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Not wet batter, not bone dry. A few crumbs.

   If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
10. 10

    Cool completely

    Let the bread rest in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. This allows it to firm up enough to turn out cleanly. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto the rack. Turn right-side up and let cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour. Cutting too early compresses the crumb and makes it gummy. Patience.

Chef Tips

• •Choose young zucchini no thicker than your wrist. Overgrown specimens are watery, seedy, and bitter. The farmers' market in July and August offers the best selection, but a well-stocked grocery will do.
• •Don't peel the zucchini. The skin contains most of the vegetable's flavor and adds pleasant flecks of green throughout the bread.
• •This bread improves overnight. The flavors meld and the texture becomes more even. Wrap tightly in plastic and slice it the next morning.
• •For a more pronounced crust, brush the top with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven. The butter soaks into the surface and turns it golden and fragrant.
• •Swap pecans for walnuts if you prefer their buttery sweetness. Or leave the nuts out entirely for those with allergies. The bread stands on its own either way.

Advance Preparation

• •The bread keeps at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 4 days. It actually improves after the first day as the flavors develop.
• •For longer storage, wrap individual slices in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast frozen slices directly in a toaster or warm in a 300°F oven.
• •The batter can be mixed and refrigerated in the pan for up to 2 hours before baking if you need to time it with your schedule. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if starting cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 slice (about 50g)