Learn how to make the best zucchini bread with this easy recipe. This moist zucchini cake is mixed like muffins using the two-bowl method, where the wet and dry ingredients are stirred together. No mixer required! You can add dark chocolate chips and flavour it with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, as well as floral spices like cardamom.
I planted Golden Glory summer squash in my garden, which is a prolific variety of yellow zucchini. Inevitably, I ended up with a lot of zucchini, so I came up with this yellow squash zucchini bread to use them up.
This recipe is inspired by my best banana bread recipe, but I noticed it needed a little more oomph than the original, so I used both baking powder and a little baking soda to help this moist zucchini cake rise as it bakes.
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Ingredients
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- zucchini-the star of this recipe is the grated zucchini. You can use yellow squash (summer squash) or classic green zucchini. Some of my yellow Golden Glory zucchini came in with green stripes on them so you'll notice that my grated zucchini is yellow and green. Grate the zucchini on the coarse side of a box grater for best results
- fats-I opted for a combination of butter and oil to make this zucchini bread to ensure it stays moist, but using all oil or all melted butter will also work
- sugar-I used a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in the loaf cake, again for moisture but also flavour. You can replace one with the other if you prefer. I used coarse turbinado sugar to give the cake a crunchy topping.
- flour-I've tested this recipe with half whole wheat and half bleached all-purpose or all all-purpose. Both ways work!
- eggs-I bake with large eggs. If you use eggs that are smaller or larger, this may yield different results.
- chocolate chips-use dark chocolate chips so the cake isn't too sweet!
- salt-I bake with Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount to avoid making the cake too salty.
- leavening agents-I used both baking powder and baking soda because I found the batter is quite heavy and needs more oomph to rise properly.
- spices-I find zucchini bread can be quite bland without a generous amount of spices, like cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. Use a teaspoon of each! You can also add nutmeg, but use less of that because it is potent and can lead to a soapy taste.
Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
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- Raisins-instead of dark chocolate chips, use Sultana raisins or chopped pitted dates. Stick to the same volume of mix-ins.
- Nuts-you can replace half or all the chocolate chips with toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Whole wheat-I've tested this recipe with half whole wheat flour with good results
With any of these substitutions, you may have to adjust the baking time.
Instructions
I opted for the easiest mixing method for this yellow squash zucchini bread recipe, specifically the muffin method, also known as the two-bowl mixing method, where the wet ingredients are mixed separately from the dry ingredients before stirring the two together.
Step 1-Combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. I like to first mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together to break up the yolks, then mix in the brown sugar, and then the grated zucchini.
Tip: grate the zucchini with a coarse grater, not a fine grater. Use the side of a box grater with the largest round holes for this job!
Step 2-Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then pour the wet ingredients on top, along with the melted butter. Stir them together until just mixed with a Danish dough whisk, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 3-I like to bake this recipe in a small 9x4x4-in Pullman loaf pan (without the lid) or a 1-pound loaf pan. Grease the pan and line it with parchment paper. You can use small binder clips to fasten the parchment to the sides of the pan and prevent the paper from falling onto the cake. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar before baking until golden brown. The edges will pull away from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester inserted into the middle will come out clean.
Hint: This loaf cake is loaded with grated fresh zucchini, so it is very moist. Make sure you leave it in the oven long enough to bake through. I have found it takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to bake in a small Pullman loaf pan. If you don't bake it long enough, you will end up with a gummy, underbaked layer on the bottom, and the loaf cake may collapse as it cools, just like banana bread! Read my banana bread tips and why cakes collapse for more information.
Storage
You need to let the zucchini bread cool completely before storing it. Wrap the loaf cake in plastic wrap tightly and store in a large Ziploc bag. This recipe keeps for up to 5 days. For longer storage, slice the loaf cake into portions, placing a small square of parchment between each piece, then freeze in a freezer bag. Defrost individual slices in the microwave for 30 seconds (time may vary depending on the microwave model).
Top Zucchini Baking Tip
If you are baking with overgrown zucchini, the seeds become very chewy/woody as the fruit matures. It's best to core the zucchini before grating to remove the seeds if this is the case. Just cut it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds before grating on your box grater.
Related
Looking for other loaf cake recipes? Try these:
If you tried this recipe for yellow squash zucchini bread (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Yellow Squash Zucchini Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 100 grams granulated sugar or a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar
- 10 mL baking powder
- 5 mL ground cardamom or ground cinnamon or both (see notes)
- 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 3.75 mL baking soda
- 2 large egg(s) room temperature
- 80 mL canola oil
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 300 grams coarsely grated zucchini or yellow summer squash (about 2¼ cups)
- 75 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 130 grams dark chocolate chips
- 25 grams Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 °C). Butter a 9x4x4-inch (23x10x10 cm) Pullman pan, or a 9x5-inch (23x12.5 cm) loaf pan, then line the bottom and sides with a rectangle of parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Secure the overhang with metal binder clips, if necessary. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs with the canola oil and vanilla, then whisk in the brown sugar, followed by the grated zucchini.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, add the melted butter, and stir them to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips (if using).
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf cake pan. Smooth the top to even it out.
- Bake until the edges are a deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. This takes about 80 minutes in my oven.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe in a small 9x4-inch Pullman pan or a 9x5-inch loaf pan (1 pound pan). Don't use a pan smaller than this because the cake won't bake properly.
- You can use green zucchini or yellow squash for this recipe. If they are overgrown, slice them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds as they can be tough and woody. Grate the rest.
- The spices are important in this recipe or the zucchini cake will be bland. Use a generous amount (at least 1 teaspoon each) of cinnamon, ginger, and/or cardamom. You can also add some nutmeg (½ teaspoon) as too much can give the cake a soapy flavour.
- This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
- Use dark chocolate chips that aren't too sweet. You can use raisins instead or a combination of chocolate and toasted walnuts or pecans
- You can use a thermometer to check if your cake is done baking and the internal temperature should register around 212 ºF or 100 ºC when it's done.
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