zucchini

The Best Zucchini Bread

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Once again, the year is flying by! I can’t believe it’s almost August and summer is coming to an end! So we need to live up the next few weeks. The weather in Chicago has been amazing lately so plants, flowers and gardens are looking great. A friend of mine gave me some zucchini from her garden so of course I made a zucchini bread 🙂 This recipe is so easy and delicious, one that will please everyone.

So let’s go start those oven and bake!

Note: Grate the zucchini on the large side of a box grater.

What you will need:

Loaf pan, greased

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (do not drain liquid!)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the zucchini, both sugars, applesauce, oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store covered in the refrigerator. This bread is best served chilled. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Spice Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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I know! I know! It’s a mouthful to say but just give me a mouthful of this cake! Seriously, happy fall everyone. No better way to celebrate the cooler air than with this beauty right here. And this frosting…. I think I ate half of it out of the bowl as I was frosting the cake. Ooops! At least there was enough to cover it 🙂 Cream cheese frosting always reminds me of Dunkaroo’s from the 90’s. Anyone remember those? Yum!

Anyway, enough reminiscing. Go start those ovens and let’s bake this cake!

What you will need:

13 x 9 inch baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini, drained

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter at room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice. Set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, both sugars and applesauce. Then add in eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly add in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in zucchini until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

While cake cools, beat together all frosting ingredients. Spread over the cooled cake. Store cake covered and in the fridge. Slice and enjoy!

Lemon Zucchini Bread

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It’s been a minute since I made a post! I’m so sorry! We have just been enjoying summer to the fullest. The last 4 days have literally been pool, beach, pool, beach and tomorrow we have plans to go back to the beach! Trust me, I know how lucky I am to be able to do that. Living close to the lake in Chicago is the best and I would not have it any other way 🙂 Until it’s January and I’ll be looking at real estate in California…

Anyway, here I am with an absolutely delicious bread or cake, whatever you want to call it. The perfect summer snack for you and your loved ones to enjoy after a fun filled sun filled day! So turn on your ovens and let’s get baking….

What you will need:

1 loaf pan greased and lined with parchment paper hanging over the sides

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tespoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, drained and dried
1 tablespoons lemon zest

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.  In another bowl, beat together the sugar and oil until blended. Add in eggs and milk and beat until incorporated. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Slowly beat in flour mixture until just blended. Fold in the zucchini and lemon zest.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before lifting it out with the parchment paper. Cool completely.

To make the glaze, stir ingredients together. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and go up from there depending on consistency. Drizzle over bread. Slice and enjoy!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Wow. I didn’t know how to spell zucchini! I had to keep looking it up. Pathetic. Anyways… I have always loved zucchini bread. So, for my next bake, I made a double chocolate one! Even if you do not like zucchini itself, you will like this bread, guaranteed. It really is so moist and delicious. Great for a snack, for breakfast or for dessert. So, let’s get started…

What you will need:

9 x 5 inch loaf pan, greased

1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together zucchini, vegetable oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Whisk in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips (oh my gosh, can you get any easier?). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 52-56 minutes.

Let cool on wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from pan. Slice and enjoy!