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Lower Calorie Zucchini Bread
This classic zucchini bread delivers a tender crumb and rich flavor with a lower-calorie approach. Fresh shredded zucchini adds natural moisture to the batter, while warm spices like cinnamon and cloves provide a comforting aroma. It is perfect for a quick breakfast, an afternoon snack, or using up a summer garden harvest. Chopped nuts and sweet raisins add satisfying texture to every slice.
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 the bottoms of two 8x4-inch loaf pans or one 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or shortening.
- 2Combine the shredded zucchini, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly blended. Blend in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and cloves. Gently fold in the chopped nuts and raisins.
- 3Pour the batter into the single 9-inch pan, or divide it equally if using the two 8-inch pans.
- 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.
- 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 two hours before slicing.
- 6Wrap the fully cooled bread tightly. Keep it at room temperature for up to four days, or store it in the refrigerator for up to ten days.
- 7To bake a cranberry variation, leave out the zucchini, cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. Whisk half a cup of milk and two teaspoons of grated orange peel into the oil mixture instead.
- 8Fold three cups of fresh or thawed and drained cranberries into the cranberry batter. Bake this version for 60 to 70 minutes.
- 9For an orange zucchini version, mix two teaspoons of grated orange peel into the dry ingredients. Drizzle the finished, cooled loaf with an orange glaze and let it set.
- 10To make a pumpkin variation, swap out the shredded zucchini for one 15-ounce can of plain pumpkin puree.