Classic Cinnamon Zucchini Quick Bread
This Classic Cinnamon Zucchini Quick Bread is very easy to throw together. It delivers on moisture and all of the traditional, delicious flavors that you would expect in a zucchini bread recipe.
Zucchini Bread is hard to describe. It’s kind of Earthy and has the most moist and amazing flavor. It sounds funky and exotic. But zucchini bread actually has a very mild zucchini flavor and you would never even know it’s in there. I know this because the older I get, the more grandma-type things I do. My nephew Logan hates zucchini. He loves my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread quick bread recipe. So I just told him that it was a typical, run of the mill banana bread. He was in love. And eventually very shocked when I revealed that it was in fact, a zucchini bread.
There are a lot of similarities between the two. Zucchini and banana bread are both very moist and have a delicious cinnamon flavor. Essentially, zucchini and banana both just add a lot of moisture to the breads. The zucchini doesn’t have a strong flavor and for the most part, just takes on the taste of the cinnamon.
I first tried zucchini bread at my bridal shower along with Authentic Homemade Pad Thai. Yes, it was a very big day for me life and food-wise (haha). My high school friend, Stacey brought it and offered me some. I’ll be honest, I had literally never heard of zucchini bread and I thought it was very bizarre. I didn’t want to be rude so I tasted it. And I have been hooked ever since.
A year later, I began perfecting my basic, go-to Traditional Banana Bread Recipe. I never forgot about that zucchini bread though. So I decided to use the basics of my banana bread recipe and replace the banana with zucchini that I grated. It came out perfect and I’ve made it ever since.
Zucchini is so moist and I feel like it comes out so tender and amazing in this recipe. I’ve made a lot of different variations but my favorite is always just a classic and basic zucchini bread with a nice hint of cinnamon. The cinnamon compliments the zucchini beautifully. Cinnamon is one of my favorite flavors to bake with. Cinnamon Walnut Banana Bread is a quick recipe that’s always a crowd pleaser.
What size zucchini should I use?
I suggest using one large zucchini or two small ones. Use a grater with large shredding holes to achieve the desired texture. Grate your zucchini right into the large mixing bowl you will be using to prepare the zucchini bread batter.
Baking Substitutions for Zucchini Bread
In the event of a food allergy, aversion or dietary preference, substitutions are sometimes necessary. Below are a few substitutions that I have made in a pinch.
Eggs: The one egg in this recipe can be replaced with a 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce OR 1/4 cup of vegetable oil.
Sugar: The 3/4 cup of sugar may be substituted for 3/4 cup of maple syrup.
Can I covert this Classic Cinnamon Zucchini Quick Bread recipe to make muffins?
For sure! This batter yields 12-16 muffins. Use a pan sprayed muffin pan or use cupcake liners in your baking tin. Fill about two-thirds of the way with the quick bread batter. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the muffins and ensure that the toothpick comes out clean.
My favorite thing about any quick bread recipe is how versatile they are. It’s wonderful that you can use one batter recipe to make a loaf of bread or a batch of muffins. Quick Bread Pumpkin Muffins with Eggnog Glaze are a great example of different ways to switch up this recipe.
What’s your favorite quick bread? Let me know in the comments below!
Classic Cinnamon Zucchini Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 2 Cups grated zucchini
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ Cup butter (melted)
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ Cup milk
- ¾ Cup sugar
- 1½ Cups flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in microwave for 30-60 seconds until melted. In the meantime, grate 2 cups of zucchini into a large mixing bowl.
- In the bowl, add salt and baking soda and stir to combine. Mix in melted butter.Add egg, vanilla extract, milk and sugar. Stir until combined.
- Add flour and stir to combine. Pour batter into a greased 9×5 loaf pan. This batter also bakes well in an 8×8 pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
