I couldn’t find it so I created it–The Best Zucchini Bread Recipe

My garden has entered that late summer stage where, as far as flowers go, it’s all about the dahlias and the black-eyed susans. Rudbeckia triloba (my favourite form of black-eyed susan) has self seeded in several places (not all of which are convenient, but I let it go anyway) and it certainly must be one of the cheeriest flowers on the planet.

And as far as the vegetable garden, it’s all about the tomatoes (yum and yay!) and zucchini. This year I tried out ‘Trombeta di Albenga‘ a climbing heirloom Italian variety. To say that it is a vigorous grower would be an understatement–I think the vine is somewhere between 12 and 15 metres long now. And the zucchini! Well, take a look…

If you grow the more conventional zucchinis (the smaller green or yellow ones) you might think I’ve left this on the vine far too long, but I consulted with a friend whose family has grown these, and she assures me that they are indeed supposed to be allowed to get this big. In fact, I received a little talking to when I picked one “too young.”

The first mature one that I grated (in order to bake with it) measured in at over 7 cups! Time to get baking!

So I went in search of a good zucchini bread recipe.

I tested several (with my coworkers and my husband, and even my husband’s coworkers) and found they were either too oily, too cakey, or just not the right bread-like consistency I was looking for.

I wanted something with a texture like banana bread, not coffee cake. So I took the most similar recipe in my collection and started modifying…and finally (after stuffing myself and everyone around me with many “failed” but tasty tests) came up with a recipe that’s pretty much exactly what I had in mind.

If you’re looking for a great zucchini bread recipe, here it is:

 

Zucchini Orange Oat Bread