Classic Zucchini Bread with Walnuts (No Raw Center)

Classic zucchini bread is easy to get wrong in one specific way: the outside bakes and the middle stays raw. This recipe prevents that with two fixes, a hard squeeze on the shreds and a fixed bake time with a clear doneness test. The result is a moist loaf with cinnamon and walnuts that slices cleanly once cooled. It makes 1 loaf of 12 slices and takes 78 minutes, most of it hands-off. Any 2 medium zucchini from the store will do, so it is as good in October as it is in August. Serve it warm with butter for breakfast, with coffee, not tea.

Why this works

• Squeezed shreds carry about half the water of loose shreds. That water is what leaves a raw stripe down the middle of most zucchini loaves.
• Whisking the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until the color lightens builds structure.
• Folding only until the last dry patch disappears keeps the crumb tender. The batter stays lumpy on purpose.
• Parchment on the long sides of the pan lets you lift the loaf out without breaking it.

Zucchini bread sits between a quick bread and a cake, and it relies on moisture to stay tender. The risk is that moisture gets trapped in the center, where the loaf is thickest. Squeezing the shreds hard and holding to the bake time solves that, and the wooden pick test confirms it. A loaf that passes the test will slice cleanly and stay moist for days.

What to know about the ingredients

You need 2 cups of shredded zucchini, from 2 medium zucchini. Shred on the large holes of a box grater. The dry ingredients are 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

On the wet side are 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. The walnuts, 1/2 cup chopped, go in last. If someone at the table avoids nuts, you can leave them out and the loaf will bake the same way.

Large shreds give the loaf its classic look, with green threads running through the crumb. Cinnamon is the only spice, so use a fresh jar for a clear flavor. The walnuts add crunch against the soft crumb, and chopping them roughly keeps some texture. Vegetable oil, not butter, is what keeps the bread soft the next day. Check the date on your baking soda and powder, since they are what lift the loaf.

Classic Zucchini Bread

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Squeezed shreds and a fixed oven time, so the center bakes through every time.

Prep20 min

Cook58 min

Total1 hr 18 min

Serves12

Scale1x2x3x

Ingredients

• zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry — 2 cups (2 medium) (240 g)
• all-purpose flour — 2 cups (240 g)
• granulated sugar — 1 cup (200 g)
• vegetable oil — ½ cup (120 ml)
• eggs — 2 large (100 g)
• walnuts, chopped — ½ cup (60 g)
• vanilla extract — 2 teaspoons (10 ml)
• ground cinnamon — 1½ teaspoons (4 g)
• baking soda — 1 teaspoon (5 g)
• baking powder — ½ teaspoon (2 g)
• salt — ½ teaspoon (3 g)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 9 by 5 inch (23 by 13 cm) loaf pan and line the long sides with a strip of parchment.
2. Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Pile the shreds in a clean kitchen towel, twist the towel closed, and squeeze over the sink until the drips stop. These are the shreds. You should have 240 g (2 cups) left.
3. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. This is the dry mix.
4. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla for 45 seconds, until the color lightens and no streaks of egg remain.
5. Stir the shreds into the wet bowl, then add the dry mix. Fold 12 to 15 strokes, only until the last dry patch disappears. The batter stays lumpy on purpose. Fold in the walnuts.
6. Scrape into the pan and level the top. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until a wooden pick pushed into the center comes out with dry crumbs and no wet batter.
7. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift the loaf out by the parchment onto a rack. Slice once the loaf is cool to the touch, about 1 hour: warm zucchini bread tears instead of slicing.

Nutrition per serving

278Calories

4 gProtein

34 gCarbs

14 gFat

Estimated per serving from standard nutrition reference values; will vary with brands and substitutions.

Tips for getting it right

1. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease a 9 by 5 inch (23 by 13 cm) loaf pan and line the long sides with a strip of parchment.
2. Squeeze the shreds in a twisted towel until the drips stop.
3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla for 45 seconds, until the color lightens and no streaks of egg remain.
4. Stir the shreds into the wet bowl, add the dry mix, and fold 12 to 15 strokes. Then fold in the walnuts.
5. Bake 55 to 60 minutes. A wooden pick pushed into the center should come out with dry crumbs and no wet batter.
6. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, lift the loaf out by the parchment, and slice only once it is cool to the touch, about 1 hour.

Use a light-colored metal loaf pan if you have one, since dark pans brown the crust faster. The parchment strip is not decoration: it is what lets you lift the hot loaf out cleanly. Test for doneness in the center, not the edges, since the middle is the last part to bake. If the top is dark before the pick comes out clean, cover the loaf loosely with foil and keep baking. Patience at the end pays off, because a cooled loaf cuts into neat slices.

How to store, freeze and make ahead

Wrapped at room temperature the loaf keeps 3 days. In the fridge it keeps 1 week, and in the freezer 3 months. The best way to freeze it is in slices with parchment between them, so you can take out one slice and toast it straight from frozen. A slice toasted in a dry pan the next day is as good as the first day.

What to serve with it

Serve it warm with butter for breakfast, or toasted in a dry pan the next day. It goes with coffee better than tea. For a brunch table, pair it with Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins and a plate of eggs.

Variations

• Leave out the walnuts for a nut-free loaf.
• Add raisins or a handful of chocolate chips.
• For a chocolate version, bake Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
• For a lighter, glazed option, try Lemon Zucchini Cake.

For more recipes and ideas for zucchini all year, see Zucchini Recipes and Small-Batch Preserving.