Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup Neutral Cooking Oil (Vegetable, Canola, or Grapeseed)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cups (packed) Coarsely Grated Zucchini (do not squeeze)
- ½ cup Walnuts or Pecans (Optional), roughly chopped and lightly toasted
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan thoroughly and line it with a parchment paper 'sling' for easy removal.
- Coarsely grate the zucchini. Set aside in a bowl—do not drain or squeeze the moisture out, as this is essential for the bread’s texture.
- In the first large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until completely homogenous. Set aside.
- In the second bowl, whisk the eggs lightly, then incorporate the oil and vanilla extract until well emulsified.
- Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the dry ingredients bowl. Using a rubber spatula, mix only until just combined and a few streaks of flour remain. Stop mixing here to prevent a tough loaf.
- Gently fold in the grated zucchini and the optional chopped nuts. Mix only 3–4 strokes, just enough to distribute the zucchini evenly. Do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top lightly.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F (175°C). If the top begins to brown too quickly (around 40 minutes), loosely tent the loaf with foil.
- Test for doneness: The bread is ready when a long skewer or toothpick inserted into the very centre comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs attached).
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes before using the parchment sling to lift it out. Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.