Every gardener knows the moment. One zucchini quietly becomes two, then four, and suddenly they’re appearing on neighbours’ doorsteps under cover of darkness.

This Late Summer Zucchini Bread is one of the happiest ways to put that abundance to good use. Rich brown sugar, warm cinnamon, toasted walnuts and plump golden raisins transform a humble garden vegetable into a  tender, fragrant loaf, just sweet enough for breakfast, afternoon tea or an after-dinner slice with a cup of coffee.

A splash of boiled cider deepens the flavour with a mild apple note that feels perfectly at home as summer begins its slow transition to autumn. The zucchini itself quietly disappears into the crumb, contributing remarkable moisture without giving away its presence.

Like so many quick breads, this one is even better the following day, making it an ideal bake for busy weekends, lunchboxes or unexpected visitors. It freezes beautifully too—assuming, of course, there’s any left to freeze.

Late Summer Zucchini Bread

Print Recipe

A wonderfully moist quick bread made with garden-fresh zucchini, toasted walnuts, golden raisins and warm cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or freezing for later.

• Yield: Makes one 8½ × 4½-inch loaf 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the loaf

• 150 g or ¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 43 g or 2 tbsp boiled cider (or 30 ml or 2 tbsp apple juice, orange juice, milk or water)
• 99 g or ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 5 ml or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 210 g or 1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 g or ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 g or ½ tsp baking soda
• 5 g or 1 tsp kosher salt
• 4 g or 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 275 g or about 2 cups shredded zucchini*
• 85 g or ¾ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
• 128 g or ¾ cup golden raisins or currants (optional)
• 28 g or 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C or 350°F. Grease an 8½ × 4½-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, boiled cider (or your chosen liquid), vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until no dry flour remains.
5. If the shredded zucchini seems unusually wet, gently pat it dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Fold the zucchini, toasted walnuts and raisins into the batter until evenly distributed.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. If desired, sprinkle evenly with the additional brown sugar.
7. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. The surface beneath the crust may still feel slightly moist because of the zucchini, but there should be no wet batter clinging to the tester.
8. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
9. Store well wrapped at room temperature for several days, or freeze for longer storage.

Notes

• The exact weight of zucchini will vary slightly depending on the variety and how coarsely it is grated. About 275g produces a beautifully moist loaf. If your zucchini seems particularly watery, gently pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the batter.

• Boiled cider deepens the apple flavour and adds a lovely caramel note, but apple juice, orange juice, milk or even water all work well.
• Golden raisins are milder than dark raisins and let the flavour of the zucchini shine.
• Toasting the walnuts before adding them brings out their sweetness and keeps them pleasantly crisp in the finished loaf.
• This bread is even better the day after baking, once the flavours have had time to develop.
• Recipe Adapted from King Arthur Baking’s Simple Zucchini Bread.

 

• Quantity Note: This recipe triples beautifully. I mix the wet ingredients in my stand mixer, transfer everything to a large bowl, then fold in the dry ingredients, zucchini, walnuts and raisins by hand. It’s the perfect way to use up a bumper crop of summer zucchini while filling the freezer and sharing a loaf or two with neighbours.

• Author: Helen Kain