Zucchini Banana Bread (Printable)
Moist banana and zucchini loaf spiced with cinnamon, studded with nuts or chocolate—ideal for breakfast or snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Produce
01 - 1 cup grated zucchini, excess moisture squeezed out
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
→ Wet Ingredients
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Optional Add-ins
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
13 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, ensuring even coverage to prevent sticking.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil (or melted butter), eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in the mashed bananas and grated zucchini, mixing until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
05 - Gently fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips if desired, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even finish.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Check at the 50-minute mark to avoid overbaking.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into even portions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It turns two ingredients you are probably about to throw away into something genuinely spectacular.
- The crumb stays soft and tender for days, which almost never happens with homemade quick bread.
02 -
- Undermixing the batter is always better than overmixing, because a few small flour pockets will disappear in the oven but a tough, gummy crumb will not.
- If the top starts browning too quickly around the 40 minute mark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it finish baking underneath.
03 -
- Use the ripest, most embarrassing bananas you have because their natural sweetness means you can cut back on sugar if you prefer a less sweet loaf.
- Rotate the loaf pan halfway through baking for the most even rise, since most home ovens have hot spots you never notice until a loaf lists to one side.