Moist Zucchini Cinnamon Bread

My neighbor showed up at my door one afternoon with a basket of zucchini so enormous I had to laugh. She'd grown way too much and was practically begging me to take them off her hands. That night, instead of letting them go to waste, I remembered my grandmother's trick: sneak vegetables into a sweet bread so good nobody notices they're eating their greens. This zucchini bread became my answer, and now it's the first thing I reach for when summer zucchini starts piling up.

I brought this bread to a book club meeting once, still warm from cooling, and someone immediately asked for the recipe. By the time dessert came around, the plate was empty and three people wanted to know if I could make it gluten-free. That's when I realized this wasn't just breakfast bread anymore, it was the thing people asked me to bring.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Two cups gives you structure without making the bread dense, which is the whole trick to keeping it tender.
• Baking soda and baking powder: Baking soda reacts with the acidic brown sugar and moisture from the zucchini, while baking powder is your backup to ensure a gentle rise.
• Salt: Half a teaspoon might seem small, but it's what stops the bread from tasting one-dimensional.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: The cinnamon is your star player here, one and a half teaspoons of it, while the nutmeg stays optional but I always add it for this subtle warmth underneath.
• Eggs: Two large eggs bind everything and keep the crumb structure from being crumbly.
• Sugars: Three-quarters cup granulated plus half cup brown sugar creates complexity, the brown sugar adding moisture and a caramel note that plain sugar can't touch.
• Vegetable oil and melted butter: Together they make the bread stay moist for days, oil keeping it tender and butter adding richness.
• Vanilla extract: Two teaspoons might seem generous but it's the quiet backbone of the entire flavor.
• Zucchini: Two cups grated and squeezed of excess moisture, this is non-negotiable, the squeezing keeps your bread from becoming a sponge.
• Walnuts or pecans: Three-quarters cup chopped, though I sometimes toast them first because toasted nuts have so much more personality.

Instructions

Set yourself up for success:

Preheat to 350°F and get your loaf pan ready with grease and flour or a parchment paper lining. I learned the hard way that a dry pan means bread that sticks and breaks apart when you try to flip it out.

Build your dry foundation:

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. This mixing step matters because it distributes the leavening agents evenly so you don't end up with dense pockets.

Cream your wet mixture:

Beat the eggs with both sugars until the mixture gets pale and a bit fluffy, then add the oil, melted butter, and vanilla and mix until smooth. You'll hear the sound shift as the mixture becomes glossy and homogeneous.

Fold in the zucchini:

Stir the grated zucchini into your wet mixture gently. The moisture from it is what keeps this bread tender days later, so don't skip the squeezing step earlier.

Bring it all together:

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. This is where self-control matters, overmixing here leads to a tough, dense bread that defeats the entire purpose.

Add your crunchy friend:

Gently fold in the chopped nuts so they're distributed throughout but not crushed into powder.

Into the oven:

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

The cooling dance:

Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it onto a wire rack to cool completely. That 10 minutes matters because it firms up enough to move without falling apart.

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My daughter came home from school one day asking why her lunch box smelled like cinnamon, and when I told her it was zucchini bread, her face did this funny thing where she realized she'd been eating vegetables and didn't even mind. Sometimes the best recipes are the sneaky ones.

Variations Worth Trying

I've swapped out walnuts for chocolate chips more times than I can count, and each version tastes like a completely different bread. Dried cranberries add this bright tartness that cuts through the sweetness, and applesauce is my secret weapon when I want to deepen the moisture without adding more fat. The cinnamon base stays constant, but everything else can bend to what you're craving that morning.

Storage and Keeping

Room temperature in an airtight container keeps this bread fresh for three days, though honestly I've eaten slices that were two weeks old after freezing and they tasted like they were made yesterday. The moisture content means it doesn't dry out like some quick breads do, it just gets slightly firmer, which is actually nice for toast.

The Finishing Touches

A slice of this bread tastes fine on its own but it becomes something else entirely when you spread cream cheese on warm pieces or melt butter across the top. Some mornings I slice it thick and toast it lightly, letting the nuts get a little bit crunchy again.

• Serve it with coffee at breakfast or as an afternoon snack with tea, both work perfectly.
• Wrap it tightly if you're giving it as a gift because homemade bread feels more precious that way.
• Make two loaves at once because one is never enough.

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This bread has become the thing I make when I want to feel like a good person disguising vegetables, or when someone needs comfort food that doesn't feel heavy. Either way, it works.

Recipe FAQ

→ How do I prepare zucchini for the bread?

Grate the zucchini finely and squeeze out excess moisture to avoid a soggy texture.

→ Can I substitute nuts in this bread?

You can replace walnuts or pecans with chocolate chips or dried cranberries for a different flavor.

→ What is the best way to store this bread?

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to two months.

→ How do I ensure the bread stays moist?

Including melted butter, vegetable oil, and optionally applesauce helps keep the bread moist and tender.

→ What baking pan size should I use?

Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan, greased and floured or lined with parchment paper for best results.

→ How can I tell when the bread is done baking?

Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when fully baked.