Zucchini Banana Bread Loaf (Printer-friendly)
Moist banana and zucchini loaf with cinnamon and optional nuts or chocolate; great for breakfast or a snack.
# What You Need:
→ Produce
01 - 1 cup grated zucchini (about 125 g), excess moisture squeezed out
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
→ Wet Ingredients
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 190 g)
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (about 150 g)
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Optional Mix-ins
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (about 60 g)
13 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips (about 90 g)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil (or melted butter), eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas and grated zucchini, mixing until evenly incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon until well distributed.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, stirring just until no dry pockets remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips, if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even surface.
07 - Bake on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly during the final 15 minutes.
08 - Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into 10 even portions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The zucchini disappears completely so even picky eaters will never know its there, which is a glorious little deception.
- It stays incredibly moist for days thanks to the double hit of banana and zucchini, no dry crumbling disappointment here.
02 -
- Skipping the zucchini squeezing step will leave you with a gummy center that never fully sets, which I learned the hard way on my second attempt.
- Testing doneness at the 50 minute mark is critical because ovens vary wildly and an extra ten minutes can push it from perfect to dry.
03 -
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of your box grater and let it sit in a strainer for five minutes before squeezing to make the process easier.
- Sprinkling turbinado sugar on top of the batter before baking creates an irresistible crackly crust that people will fight over.