This moist zucchini bread with pecans is the most scrumptious way to eat your veggies. It’s great with some butter or jam on top, or solo with a cup of coffee in the morning.
The butter, allspice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract combined with the zucchini provide moisture and pack a mighty flavor punch. The pecans add an earthy, distinct flavor that blends perfectly with the warm winter spices.
Summer is the time or year where many home gardens are overflowing with zucchini and many avid bakers look forward to this season all year long.
Making a quick bread with something as moist as zucchini can present some problems. Look below at our Tips! suggestions so you can enjoy moist, delicious zucchini bread this summer!
TIPS:
The timing for this recipe can vary quite a bit depending on the amount of moisture in the zucchini. Some recipes recommend draining the excess moisture after shredding the zucchini for more consistent results. However, if moist, delicious bread is your goal, you definitely won’t want to do that.
Instead, shred the zucchini with a box grater placed over a large, rimmed plate to collect the excess moisture. Then, bake the bread at a fairly low temperature (see notes below) and check after 45 minutes to determine your final bake time.
Kitchen-Testing Notes:
This recipe was tested at both 325°F and 350°F. At the higher temperature, the outside developed a really nice golden-brown crust long before the inside was baked through. Toward the end, the loaves needed to be covered with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. For best results, use the lower temperature and adjust your bake time.
Pecan Zucchini Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: (2) 9" loaves
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you don’t want dried out zucchini bread, then try squeezing LESS moisture out of the zucchini and bake it at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
- ½ Cup Vegetable oil
- ½ Cup Applesauce, unsweetened
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Dark brown sugar, packed
- 1½ teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 3 Cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Cups Zucchini, shredded with a box grater
- 1¼ Cups Pecans, roughly chopped (divided 1 cup and ¼ cup)
Instructions
- Place oven rack in the center position and pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease two 9-inch loaf pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract just until blended.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, a little at a time, and mix to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed, to make sure the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the batter.
- Add the shredded zucchini and just one cup pecans to the mixing bowl and fold into the batter.
- Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Open the oven and gently sprinkle the remaining pecans on top of each pan.
- Bake for another 30 minutes before checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of each loaf. If necessary, continue baking until the toothpick comes out clean. (Depending on how much moisture is in the zucchini, it may take an hour or slightly longer for the loaves to finish baking).
- Remove from oven and set on top of a wire rack to cool. When cool enough to handle, turn the loaf pan upside down and remove the zucchini bread. Wrap to freeze for up to 3 months or cut in slices to enjoy now!
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