Zucchini Spice Loaf

Many summers back we hired a landscaping company to design our front gardens and cover our porch with flagstone. It was a family based business, and we really got to know the workers, as they were all extremely outgoing. My mom always provides construction workers with coffee, Gatorade, granola bars and muffins and this situation was no different. The father, an older fellow, was so appreciative of the beverages and food that he brought us a ginormous zucchini from his garden along with other home grown vegetables. I was able to make three loaves of bread just from that one zucchini. To this day, no zucchini has compared in taste or size. They always say small to medium sized zucchinis are the most firm and flavourful, so his went against all norms!

To be honest our gardens look completely different now , as my parents both have quite the green thumbs, but my zucchini recipe has stayed the same. Despite wanting to add in hints of orange or chocolate as complimenting ingredients to the spices, I never want to tamper with the recipe since it is extremely moist and flavourful. I don’t make it that often, but when I do, no crumb goes uneaten. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. Have you ever tried chocolate zucchini loaf? What about orange spice? Do you prefer zucchini or banana loaf? ♥ Molly

Fun Fact About Zucchini: The world’s largest zucchini on record was 69.5 inches long, and weighed 65 lbs grown by Bernard Lavery of Plymouth Devon, UK.

Zucchini Spice Loaf

Makes One 8×4 Loaf, 8-10 thick slices

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2 cups grated, unpeeled, zucchini

1. Preheat over to 350°F and line a 8×4 pan with parchment paper (or grease).
2. Sift  flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg into a small bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together brown sugar and oil until creamed. Beat in vanilla, milk, applesauce and egg. Reduce speed to low and add in sifted dry ingredients beating until smooth. Stir in zucchini just until combined.
4. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. The exterior of the loaf should turn golden brown. If the top is getting very dark, cover with tinfoil for protection and continue baking.
5. Let cool, remove bread from pan, and serve with a side of fruit, alongside tea or with a coconut oil or butter as a spread.