Description
Barefoot Contessa zucchini bread emerges as a delightful Southern classic with sweet nutmeg undertones. Moist crumbs and warm spices invite home bakers to savor each rich, comforting slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (300 g) grated zucchini
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) chopped walnuts
- 2 tsps (10 g) baking soda
- 1 tbsp (7 g) cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously coat two 8×4 inch loaf pans with grease and line with parchment paper to guarantee effortless bread removal.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, ensuring uniform distribution of dry components.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until slightly aerated, then integrate grated zucchini, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, creating a harmonious mixture.
- Batter Assembly: Delicately fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, avoiding overmixing. Gently incorporate walnuts, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Pan Filling: Evenly distribute the zucchini batter between prepared pans, smoothing the surface with a spatula to create a level landscape.
- Baking Process: Position pans in a preheated 350°F oven, rotating midway through the 55-65 minute baking cycle to ensure consistent golden-brown coloration.
- Doneness Verification: Conduct a toothpick test by inserting into the loaf’s center; a clean extraction indicates complete baking.
- Cooling Protocol: Allow bread to rest in pans for 10 minutes, facilitating structural stabilization, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling before slicing.
Notes
- Prevent Over-Mixing: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients to maintain a tender, soft bread texture without developing tough gluten strands.
- Moisture Management: Fresh zucchini contains high water content, so squeeze out excess liquid before adding to prevent soggy bread and ensure proper baking.
- Nut Distribution Technique: Coat chopped walnuts lightly in flour before folding to prevent sinking and ensure even spread throughout the bread.
- Cooling Critical Step: Allow bread to rest in pan for 10 minutes and cool completely on wire rack to help bread set and slice cleanly without crumbling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 278
- Sugar: 37 g
- Sodium: 205 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg