TL/DR – Lemony Zucchini Bread. A bright alternative to the cinnamon spiced fall version. Lemon zest, almond extract and a little bit of almond flour are the substitutes for cinnamon, vanilla and walnuts. –
This is a great way to use up all of that gosh dang zucchini that grows in the summer garden. Make a double batch and give a loaf away or just leave it in the faculty kitchen for the grazers. (Well maybe not the faculty kitchen in 2020-2021.)
Start by grating the zucchini on the smallest setting, rather than shredding it in larger pieces. It will be wet. Don’t fret. I always use all of that moisture and it works. The recipe calls for one cup of sugar, but I typically use 3/4 cup and it’s totally sweet enough for our family.
It’s a one-bowl quick bread. The zucchini gets whisked in with the wet ingredients at the beginning. Lemon zest and almond extract replace the traditional fall/winter cinnamon, vanilla and walnut flavors.
One quick note: depending on the moisture in the zucchini, this quick bread sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pan. I don’t drain the zucchini because the bread needs that moisture, but sometimes you get a juicy one. Use a generous amount of nonstick spray to avoid the problem.
For a snack with similar flavors, try Summer Squash Quick Bread.
Lemony Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c finely grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini.)
- 1 egg
- 1/3 c canola oil
- 1 c sugar
- 1 t almond extract
- 1 T lemon zest (from one lemon)
- 1/2 t baking soda
- 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/4 c almond flour
- 1 1/4 c all purpose flour
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Step 2 Grease a 9″ loaf pan well, preferably with nonstick spray
- Step 3 Whisk together the first 6 ingredients, zucchini through lemon zest.
- Step 4 Sprinkle on the baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.
- Step 5 Discard the whisk and add the almond flour and all purpose flour and stir the mixture with a spatula until just combined.
- Step 6 Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 – 65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
- Step 7 Leave in the pan for 10 minutes after removing from the oven, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool fully.
