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Homemade Lower-Calorie Zucchini Bread
Sweet, summer zucchini brings incredible moisture to this lighter take on a classic quick bread. You'll love how the warm blend of cinnamon and cloves fills your kitchen with a comforting aroma as it bakes. We've cut back on the calories without losing that tender crumb you expect. Toss in a handful of chopped nuts and raisins for a satisfying chew, and you've got a fantastic morning treat or afternoon pick-me-up.
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded zucchini (2 to 3 medium)
- 1 ⅔ cups sugar
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- ½ cup raisins, if desired
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat only the bottoms of two 8x4-inch loaf pans or one 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or shortening. Leaving the sides ungreased helps the bread climb higher as it bakes.
- 2In a large bowl, whisk the shredded zucchini, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and cloves just until combined. Overmixing will make the bread tough. Gently fold in the chopped nuts and raisins.
- 3Divide the batter equally between the two 8-inch pans, or pour it all into the single 9-inch pan.
- 4Bake the 8-inch loaves for 50 to 60 minutes, or the 9-inch loaf for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread rest in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to firm up before removing.
- 5Run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen the loaves. Turn them out onto the wire rack, setting them right side up to cool completely for about 2 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Prep: Young, fresh zucchini doesn't need to be peeled before shredding. Leaving the green skin on adds beautiful flecks of color to the finished bread. If using older or larger zucchini, peel the tough skin first.
- Storage: Wrap the fully cooled bread tightly. Keep it at room temperature for up to 4 days, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- Swap (Cranberry): Omit the zucchini, cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. Whisk 1/2 cup of milk and 2 teaspoons of grated orange peel into the oil mixture. Fold 3 cups of fresh or thawed cranberries into the batter. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
- Swap (Orange Zucchini): Mix 2 teaspoons of grated orange peel into the dry ingredients. Drizzle the finished, cooled loaf with an orange glaze and let it set.
- Swap (Pumpkin): Swap out the shredded zucchini for one 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree.