Making Zucchini Bread

During the summer in Southwestern Virginia where I grew up, I daresay many folks have a loaf or two of zucchini bread stored in their freezer as a way to preserve the plentiful squash, as a sweet treat with coffee on a cool mountain morning, or for that occasion calling for a gift of food--"bread and butter" token if you are visiting someone over night, a bereavement, new neighbor or an elderly person who no longer bakes for themselves.  I love zucchini bread so that's what I have been doing lately--baking the golden loaves. 

I recently sent a loaf with my husband to work, and it was a hit.  The doctors hail from many countries, so they weren't familiar with zucchini bread but now I've made converts.  I think the doctor from Peru and the one from Panama vied for most pieces eaten.

Every cookbook from my hometown has a recipe for zucchini bread, but they are all essentially the same.  I'm using the basic recipe here.  So, are you ready to make some zucchini bread?

Ingredients

3 cups flour                                   1 cup each chopped nuts and raisins (optional)

1 1/2 cups sugar                            1 cup oil

1 tsp. cinnamon                             3 eggs, slightly beaten 

1 tsp. baking powder                      2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 tsp. baking soda                       2 Tbsp. applesauce (my sister's secret

2 cups shredded zucchini                    ingredient)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grate 2 cups of zucchini.

In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking power, baking soda, zucchini (and nuts and raisins--I don't add these because not all people like them.)

Dry mixture without zucchini added.

 

In another bowl beat eggs, oil--add vanilla.

Pour the wet mixture in with the dry mixture, which will have zucchini added to it. Add applesauce and stir until moistened.  Pour into two greased loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.  Don't overbake.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

Now I'm going to make some more zucchini bread to take on vacation with us, so we can enjoy a slice with coffee while we bask in sweet sea breezes!

P.S.  My bread never takes an hour, my latest batch was done in 40-45 minutes.