Earlier this year I received an email from an adoring fan asking where she could find my favorite zucchini bread recipe on A Dash of Sass.  I went to the recipe index with the intention of sending her to the appropriate link only to discover (gasp!) … I’ve never posted my favorite zucchini bread recipe!  Oh, the horror!  How can this be!  A zucchini-lovin’ fool like myself must have a favorite, stand-by recipe to share with my readers, right?  Fear not dear friends, I do have a favorite recipe … I’ve just been too consumed with scarfing down this season favorite that I never got around to posting it for your gazing eyes.

Who remembers the Zucchini Walnut Muffins that used to grace the plexiglass bakery cases of that infamous coffee chain whose name rhymes with Arbucks?  I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t have a rather large crush on those muffins back in the day.  They don’t carry them anymore, but they still haunt my dreams.  Spicy yet light, tinged with flecks of zucchini and topped with loads of crunchy walnuts.  This recipe is my slightly healthier, recreation of those hauntingly good muffins.

Let me be the first to welcome to the world of whole wheat pastry flour.  If you, like me, are trying to bake with whole grains and say goodbye to Old Mister All Purpose Flour, whole wheat pastry flour is your new best friend.  While it is still whole wheat, it is a finer grain which provides for a lighter crumb in baked goods.  I dare you to try to taste the difference.  It is still a bit of a specialty item and it may be hard to find at your local store, but you can order it online and have it sent straight to your front door.  You’re welcome.

Most zucchini bread recipes end up using a shockingly little amount of actual zucchini.  Am I the only one who finds this irritating?  Isn’t the general point of making zucchini bread to use up the surplus of zucchini that is piling up in your fridge?  This recipe uses a full three cups of the shredded green stuff, so you should be able to use up at least two or three good sized zukes.

Another heart healthy element of this recipe is the olive oil base.  Sure, you could use regular old veggie oil, but why not get the health benefits of olive oil?  Done.  At first glance, it may seem like a lot of sugar, but the recipe does make two full sized loaves.  If you are looking to cut back on your sugar intake, this recipe is perfectly suited for a sugar substitute, like Splenda.  I’ve made this with a mix of half sugar and half Splenda and it comes out wonderfully.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

3 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
1 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch loaf pans (alternatively, grease the loaf pan, line with parchment paper with an inch overhang on each side and grease the parchment paper again). Set pans aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the eggs until light and foamy. Whip in the oil and sugar. Mix until fully combined.  Stir in the shredded zucchini.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices and 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts. Stir until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.  Be careful not to overmix (a few streaks of flour is fine).
- Divide batter in half and pour into the two prepared pans.  Top each loaf with the reserved chopped walnuts.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let loaves cool 10 minutes in the pan. Using the parchment handles, remove loaves to wire cooling racks to let finish cooling.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

Similar Recipes:

• Pumpkin Honey Spice Bread
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Bread
• Irish Soda Bread
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

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