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Per serving
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- 1
Heat the oven and prep the pan
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease it well with nonstick spray. Parchment makes it easy to lift the whole loaf out later, so it's worth the extra minute.
- 2
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Whisking now spreads the leavening and spices evenly so you don't end up with a bitter pocket of baking soda in one bite.
- 3
Mix the wet ingredients
Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the oil, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. The combination of butter and oil is the secret here: butter brings flavor, and oil keeps the crumb moist for days. The brown sugar adds a soft caramel note and even more moisture.
- 4
Shred and blot the zucchini
Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (no need to peel it). Measure out 2 packed cups, then blot it between paper towels to press out some of the extra water. Don't wring it bone-dry, though. Zucchini is mostly water, and that moisture is exactly what keeps the bread tender. You just want to take off the excess so the loaf isn't gummy in the middle.
- 5
Combine gently
Stir the shredded zucchini into the bowl of dry ingredients, then add all of it to the wet ingredients. Fold with a spatula only until you no longer see dry flour. The number one cause of tough, rubbery quick bread is overmixing, which builds up gluten. A few lumps in the batter are a good sign.
- 6
Bake and cool
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and, if you like, sprinkle the top with a spoonful of coarse sugar for crunch. Bake at 350F for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Zucchini bread can take up to 70-80 minutes depending on your oven, so be patient and tent it with foil if the top browns too fast. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out to finish cooling on a rack.
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Best-Ever Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
Created by: SugarAndButter
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 2 cup zucchini
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep the panPreheat your oven to 350F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease it well with nonstick spray. Parchment makes it easy to lift the whole loaf out later, so it's worth the extra minute.
- Whisk the dry ingredientsIn a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Whisking now spreads the leavening and spices evenly so you don't end up with a bitter pocket of baking soda in one bite.
- Mix the wet ingredientsMelt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the oil, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. The combination of butter and oil is the secret here: butter brings flavor, and oil keeps the crumb moist for days. The brown sugar adds a soft caramel note and even more moisture.
- Shred and blot the zucchiniShred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (no need to peel it). Measure out 2 packed cups, then blot it between paper towels to press out some of the extra water. Don't wring it bone-dry, though. Zucchini is mostly water, and that moisture is exactly what keeps the bread tender. You just want to take off the excess so the loaf isn't gummy in the middle.
- Combine gentlyStir the shredded zucchini into the bowl of dry ingredients, then add all of it to the wet ingredients. Fold with a spatula only until you no longer see dry flour. The number one cause of tough, rubbery quick bread is overmixing, which builds up gluten. A few lumps in the batter are a good sign.
- Bake and coolPour the batter into your prepared pan and, if you like, sprinkle the top with a spoonful of coarse sugar for crunch. Bake at 350F for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Zucchini bread can take up to 70-80 minutes depending on your oven, so be patient and tent it with foil if the top browns too fast. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out to finish cooling on a rack.