The Best Zucchini Bread is not an exaggerated name. This bread is moist, dense, and delightful to taste! It is also a quick bread, which means it is easy to prepare and will be quickly eaten😀. Try my Banana Zucchini Muffins for another easy-to-make, yet delicious, bread!
The Best Zucchini Bread
I have been on the hunt for the PERFECT zucchini bread. I had criteria that were non-negotiable. It must have the perfect, moist crumb. It must bake up beautifully, without a puddle of raw dough in the middle and the outsides being burnt, and it must be flavorful. And, most importantly, it must be easy. This final recipe is all of that, and more. Simple ingredients come together and bake up in a beautiful loaf of quick-bread perfection.
What Makes This the Best Zucchini Bread?
Uniquely, this zucchini bread recipe omits cinnamon, a decision that might raise eyebrows given its common use in similar recipes. By deliberately excluding cinnamon, this recipe allows the natural and robust flavors of the fresh zucchini and other ingredients to shine, providing a purer taste experience. I encourage you to try this version and see why thousands of people have embraced this unique twist on zucchini bread.
The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe
The Best Zucchini Bread is a quick bread, which by definition means that it is bread made with a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. The baking soda and baking powder allow you to bake the bread without waiting for the dough to rise. With a few ingredients mixed together, you will be ready to bake and serve.
Mastering Zucchini in Baking
Getting the moisture content right with zucchini can make or break your baking project. Did you know that the size of the zucchini can greatly impact its moisture? Yep, it’s true! Larger zucchini tend to be a bit drier, which is fantastic for recipes where you want less moisture, like our decadent Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. But when I’m whipping up a batch of our beloved Zucchini Bread, I go for medium to small zucchini because their extra moisture makes the bread wonderfully tender and flavorful.
And let’s talk about how you’re grating that zucchini. If you’re after a bread or cake with a fine, uniform texture, use the fine side of your grater—it makes a big difference! This method disperses the zucchini evenly throughout your batter, integrating beautifully without clumps. Need a bit more texture and flavor? The larger holes on your grater are perfect for when you want those zucchini pieces to stand out a bit more.
Now, onto squeezing out that moisture—it matters! Some recipes will have you wringing out that zucchini like there’s no tomorrow to avoid a soggy bake. But for my Zucchini Bread, just a gentle squeeze is enough. Moisture is the secret to that perfectly moist loaf every time. Remember, it’s all about finding that sweet spot for the best baking results!
Does the Baking Dish Matter?
Yes, it does. This is a 9×5 (or 8 1/2 by 4 1/2, they can both be used with success in this recipe) glass baking dish and is my go-to for quick bread loaves because of how it heats. Glass bakeware heats more evenly, which helps quick bread bake at an even rate.
Because glass is an insulator it does take a while to heat up but will stay warm long after it’s removed from the oven. Metal pans tend to lose heat immediately after being removed from the oven, and I want the bread to be warm when served.
How to Serve and Store Zucchini Bread
The Best Zucchini Bread is served best when warm. If you insist on that cinnamon flavor, try it with cinnamon butter!
It will usually last 1-2 days when left out at room temperature, but make sure you wrap it in foil or put it into a plastic bag. Wrapping the bread and storing it in the refrigerator will make it last for about a week.
How to Freeze Zucchini Bread
You will want to make sure you allow it to cool completely. Just wrap the zucchini bread tightly with parchment paper and place it in a heavy-duty sealable freezer plastic bag. It will be good for about 3 months. To thaw bread, take it out of the freezer and set it on the counter. Allow it to reach room temperature before you take it out of its packaging. It will re-absorb some of its moisture this way.
More Zucchini Treats
The Best Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (164 g) vegetable oil, I use canola
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups grated zucchini, gently press out excess moisture with hands, but don't aggressively squeeze
Instructions
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×5 (or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pan with non-stick spray or the butter & flour method.
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl, except for the zucchini. Stir to incorporate. It should be thick.
- Add the shredded zucchini to the mixture to the bowl, and stir until combined. It will become thinner and easier to pour.
- Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 65-75 minutes. The outside will be dark brown and an inserted toothpick should be removed with crumbs, but not wet batter. If the loaf is getting too dark, you can add a foil tent for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Let the bread cool slightly before cutting and serving.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Amanda I love your recipes. Can you tell me whether or not you have experimented with using agave or honey with this recipe? Was it necessary to adjust dry ingredients to account for more wet ingredients. TIA. Gail
The zucchini bread turned out delightfully crisp on top, moist inside, a lovely light color inside. Everyone loved it. I might cut the sugar a little next time. Will definitely make again.
This turned out fantastic!
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain the nuances of zucchini bread. This was my first time attempting and this post helped me through the whole process. It received approval from my fiance as well who grew up on his grandmother’s recipe.
The only problem I ran into was there seemed to be A LOT of batter, it filled a 9×5 up to about an inch from the top. I panicked and split it into 2 loaf pans. Did I do something wrong?
Glad you and your fiance liked it! So yes, you are correct. If you fill any pan more than 2/3 full that chances of it spilling over are high. So you did the right thing! I have often wondered if my standard 9×5 pan is not really a 9×5 pan… like maybe a 10×6? 🙂
This is the BEST zucchini bread recipe I’ve made. The only change I made is that I subbed white flour for whole wheat. I used the glass baking dish like you recommend and canola oil. I made two extra loaves for the freezer and will be adding to that soon since I planted too much zucchini this year!
I see you used sourdough in the banana bread, why not in the zucchini bread?
Hi, Ralph! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We have not tested a sourdough zucchini bread, but it is a great suggestion! Thanks, and have a great day!
Used Pillsbury GF fouur and added an extra egg white ( in a glass loaf pan) and it was perfect!
Made the bread and it smells so good but as soon as I took it out because it is done it sank all 3 loaves of bread? Not sure what went wrong but they taste great.
Hi, Tammy! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. A couple things could have happened to cause the bread to sink. Make sure your baking soda and baking powder are not stale (expired). Do not overfill the pans, and check the oven temperature to make sure it is accurate. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
So what if you don’t have glass pans, can I use a non stick bread pan. I don’t use glass pans because they tend to be to heavy for my hands which have arthritis in them, and I live alone so no one else to help.
Hi, Kathie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Yes, you could use a nonstick bread pan. However, you may have to watch it closely, as you may have to adjust the baking time. Have a great day!
Can I use wholemeal instead? The same amount?
Hi, Gillian! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We have not tried using wholemeal flour in this recipe, so I can’t say how it would turn out.
Can I add banana to this recipe as is?
Hi, Venessa! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We have not added banana to this specific recipe, but you could check out the Zucchini Banana Cake recipe or Banana Zucchini Muffins.