Zucchini Bread

I would bet that anyone who plants squash in their garden has a recipe that they have used for zucchini bread! I, in fact, have so much zucchini that I have already used three different recipes and plan to try out a few more. The recipe that I am going to post today is my favorite zucchini bread recipe, hands down. It might be my favorite because it is the one I have used for the past 16 years, but it also might be my favorite because it is a pretty traditional recipe. Just the right combination of spices, plump raisins, and crunchy walnuts.

Speaking of raisins and walnuts, I am someone who likes my zucchini bread full of them. One of the other recipes I tried out used chocolate chips in place of the raisins, but I didn't really like that flavor combination. Now chocolate chips in banana bread is a goldmine, but not so much in zucchini bread.

This recipe comes straight out of Betty's book. In fact, I've used this page so many times for both banana and zucchini bread that the holes on my page are ripped away completely. Yes, they are that good. Enjoy!


Zucchini Bread
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups shredded zucchini (about 3 medium)
1 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of loaf pans. Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans. Bake 50-60 minutes (25-30 minutes for mini loaves) or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 10 days.