Super Moist Zucchini Bread (Recipe)

Any gardener can tell you that when you plant zucchini, you can expect an abundance of squash. What to do in any garden when one of your crops is producing like crazy? Get in the kitchen!

There are various options when it comes to food storage: dehydration, canning, cooking and freezing. A primary reason to grow zucchini (beside the fact that it’s one of the only vegetables many kids will eat) is that it makes for fabulous sweet bread.

This is a tried and true recipe for employee, Lisa MacMaster, who originally got her hands on it from RecipeZaar (Food.com), an online recipe site. Lisa made adjustments to reduce the oil and sugar called for and tends to under-cook the bread to preserve a moist, gooey center. Enjoy!

RECIPE

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup applesauce
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups sugar
• 3 medium zucchini (grated 2 cups and well drained)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, like Camas Country Mills
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup walnuts chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 2 loaf pans (for shallow loaves or 1 for an abundant loaf).
2. Grate and drain zucchini using cheese cloth or manually squeezing the zucchini using a food strainer.
3. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl and stir in the oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
5. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until well blended and then stir in the raisins and walnuts if using. Finally, add the zucchini and stir to evenly distribute.
6. Spoon the batter into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour (or until desired.)
7. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and then remove from the pans and cool on the rack completely.