Zucchini Loaf

Zucchini Raisin Loaves

When we lived in our first fixer-upper house, I had a little metal box for recipes, clippings taped onto 3 x 5 cards. This recipe is from the box, and it's well-spattered. My kids liked to help with the mixing, but were too small to help cut and hand-grate the huge zucchinis from Diane's neighbour's backyard vegetable garden.

This recipe was clipped from Homemaker's Magazine and was contributed by Anne Marie Tadeson of Grimsby, Ontario, who got the recipe from her aunt. It's good.

When zucchini is plentiful, grate it and freeze in 2-cup packages to make these loaves later.

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 2 packed cups grated zucchini with skin (about 3 medium zucchini or 1 lb.)
• 3-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat eggs.
2. Add sugar and oil.
3. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with zucchini.
4. Add nuts, raisins and vanilla.
5. Bake in two greased 9 x 5"  loaf pans for about 55 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Zucchini Nut Loaf

This recipe requires only 2 small zucchini (total 1/2 lb in weight) and one 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan.

You could substitute raisins for the first half cup of nuts, the bread will be sweeter.

• oil for pan preparation
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 small zucchini (1/2 lb. or 1 cup grated, packed)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Grate the zucchini on large holes of a box grater. Put in sieve over a bowl to let drain if very wet.
2. Then pack 1 cup into a measuring cup and set aside.
3. Lightly oil an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan and then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Lightly oil the paper too.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. In medium bowl, whisk together 1-3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp each baking soda, baking powder and salt, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg.
6. In large bowl, beat 2 large eggs.
7. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 3/4 cup oil.
8. Beat until combined, then mix in 1 tsp vanilla.
9. Add the dry ingredients to this mixture, stirring just until combined.
10. Fold in grated zucchini and 1/2 cup walnuts.
11. Using a spatula, put batter into the prepared pan.
12. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup walnuts.
13. Bake until wooden pick inserted into centre comes out clean, 65-75 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and let cool in pan 15 minutes.
15. Then use parchment paper overhangs to transfer bread from pan to wire rack to cool completely.