Zucchini Bread

This recipe I made straight from Smitten Kitchen blog. I love that site and check it at least once a week. Everything I've made from it has been delicious (but not always as good looking as in pictures on the site).


Yield: 2 loaves
3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or chocolate chips or a combination thereof (optional). I always have raisins so that's what I put in.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally. I used 8x4 once and 9.5x5.5 second time around and must say that the shape of bread was better out of 8x4.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla.

• Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.
• Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.
• Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

This is great served with honey and butter. In fact, that's the only way it should be eaten!