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Zucchini Spice Bread

Zucchini spice bread with a warmly spiced crumb and golden-brown top, baked until a toothpick comes out clean. Grated, squeezed-dry zucchini keeps the loaf tender while cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves fill the kitchen.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp allspice
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 turbinado sugar for top

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Preheat and prep pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, then set it aside. You should be ready to mix as soon as the oven reaches temperature.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, ground cloves, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Stop when the spices are streak-free, with no visible clumps.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, molasses, and vanilla extract until smooth. Keep mixing until the mixture looks cohesive and glossy.
Add zucchini
  1. Stir in grated squeezed-dry zucchini until distributed throughout the batter. The batter should look thick and speckled with zucchini.
Combine batter
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains, for a tender crumb.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top, then bake for 55–65 minutes. Look for a fragrant, golden-brown top and a toothpick that comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before slicing. The loaf should be set enough to cut cleanly without tearing.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very dry so the loaf bakes up with a tender, not gummy, crumb. Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace half the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce (keep eggs and molasses the same) for slightly less richness while retaining spice flavor.