Zucchini Bread with Cinnamon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x5-inch loaf pan
• •Box grater with large holes
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Wooden skewer for testing

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess. This bread has a tendency to cling, and nothing ruins a perfect loaf faster than leaving half of it stuck to the pan.

   A dark metal pan produces a darker crust. Glass pans require reducing oven temperature by 25 degrees.
2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Make sure the leavening is evenly distributed throughout. Set this aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

3. 3

   Shred the zucchini

   Trim the ends from your zucchini and shred on the large holes of a box grater. You want pieces about the thickness of matchsticks, not the fine mush a food processor produces. Do not squeeze out the moisture. That liquid is essential. It creates the signature moistness that makes this bread irresistible.

   The zucchini releases its moisture during baking, steaming the interior of the loaf from within. Squeezing it dry defeats the entire purpose.
4. 4

   Beat the wet ingredients

   In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly foamy. Add both sugars and whisk vigorously until the mixture lightens in color, about one minute. Stream in the oil while whisking, then add the vanilla. The batter should look glossy and thick, like a well-made mayonnaise.

5. 5

   Fold in zucchini

   Add the shredded zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir until evenly combined. The green shreds will float throughout the batter. This is your last chance to see them. Once baked, they vanish into the crumb like a well-kept secret.

6. 6

   Combine wet and dry

   Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate any hiding pockets of flour. Mix only until you see no more dry streaks. The batter will be thick and heavy. If using walnuts, fold them in now with just a few strokes.

   Overmixing develops gluten, which turns tender quick bread into something resembling a brick. A few small lumps are far better than a tough loaf.
7. 7

   Fill and bake

   Scrape the batter into your prepared pan, spreading it evenly and pushing it into the corners. The pan will be nearly two-thirds full. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The top will dome and crack along the center. This is proper.

8. 8

   Cool completely

   Let the bread rest in the pan for fifteen minutes. The structure needs time to set, and removing it too soon will cause the loaf to collapse or break apart. Run a thin knife around the edges, then turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing, at least one hour. I know this requires patience. The bread rewards your restraint.

   Zucchini bread tastes better the next day. The flavors meld overnight, and the crumb becomes even more tender. Wrap it tightly and wait if you can manage.

Chef Tips

• •Use medium zucchini, about six to eight inches long. The monsters from the back of the garden have watery flesh and large seeds that make for soggy bread. Save those behemoths for stuffing.
• •Freshly grated nutmeg makes a difference you can taste. Whole nutmegs keep for years in your spice drawer and release their oils the moment you grate them. Pre-ground nutmeg tastes like sawdust by comparison.
• •For a deeper cinnamon presence, use Vietnamese cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon). It has twice the volatile oil content of common cassia and perfumes your kitchen like nothing else.
• •Toast your walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about five minutes. This transforms them from pleasant to essential.

Advance Preparation

• •The batter can be prepared and refrigerated overnight in the loaf pan, covered with plastic wrap. Bake straight from the refrigerator, adding five to ten minutes to the baking time.
• •Cooled loaf keeps wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to four days. The flavor actually improves after the first night.
• •Freezes beautifully for up to three months. Wrap first in plastic, then in foil. Thaw overnight at room temperature, still wrapped, to prevent condensation from making the crust soggy.
• •Slice before freezing for grab-and-go convenience. Individual slices thaw in minutes at room temperature or can go straight into the toaster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 63g)