Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

Name: Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon; 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda; ½ tsp (2 g) baking powder; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt; 2 cups (250 g) zucchini, from 1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz/300 g), coarsely grated, unpeeled, lightly squeezed in a towel; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ⅔ cup (225 g) honey, at room temperature, pourable; ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola; ¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ½ cup (60 g) walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional); 1 tsp (5 g) butter or oil for the pan, softened, or oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A moist, tender loaf made with 100% whole wheat flour, sweetened with honey and warmed with cinnamon. Grated zucchini keeps the crumb soft, and a little yogurt balances the nutty flour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 2 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 loaf (10 slices)

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Ingredients

10 servings

2 cups (240 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
½ tsp (2 g) baking powder
¾ tsp (4 g) fine salt
2 cups (250 g) zucchini, from 1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz/300 g), coarsely grated, unpeeled, lightly squeezed in a towel
2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup (225 g) honey, at room temperature, pourable
½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
¼ cup (60 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
½ cup (60 g) walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 tsp (5 g) butter or oil for the pan, softened, or oil

Equipment (9)

9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan
Box grater
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Wire cooling rack
Toothpick or skewer, or an instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and yogurt out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly and don't firm up the oil.
Plan on about 2½ hours total, including 75 minutes of cooling. The loaf slices cleanly only once it has cooled.
Warm the honey jar in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes if it is thick, and measure it in a lightly oiled cup so it slides out.
Use a light-colored metal loaf pan if you can. Dark pans brown the crust faster, so check them 5 minutes early.

1
Heat oven, prep panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with the butter or oil.
- Line the bottom with a strip of parchment if you like, leaving an overhang to lift the loaf out.
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Ready when: Pan is evenly greased with no dry spots in the corners.
Tip: Grease the corners well, because honey batters stick.
2
Grate and squeeze zucchini
- Coarsely grate the unpeeled zucchini until you have about 2 packed cups (250 g).
- Wrap it in a clean towel or paper towels and squeeze gently once or twice to remove surface water.
- Don't wring it dry, because some moisture keeps the bread tender.
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Ready when: Zucchini is damp but not dripping when pressed.
Tip: If the zucchini is very watery, squeeze a little more. If it's dry, skip squeezing.
3
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt for 30 seconds.
- If using walnuts, toss them in now so they don't sink.
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Ready when: The mixture is a uniform tan color with no streaks of baking soda.
4
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs for 20 seconds until broken up.
- Add the honey, oil, yogurt and vanilla.
- Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
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Ready when: No separate ribbons of honey or oil are visible, and the mixture looks glossy and uniform.
Tip: Cold eggs or yogurt can make the honey seize into clumps, so use room-temperature ingredients.
5
Fold batter together
- Stir the grated zucchini into the wet mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl, just until no dry flour remains, about 15 to 20 strokes.
- The batter will be thick and scoopable.
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Ready when: No dry flour pockets remain and the batter is thick, not runny.
Tip: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing makes whole wheat bread tough.
6
Fill the pan
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners.
- Tap the pan firmly on the counter twice to release large air bubbles.
- Smooth the top with the spatula.
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Ready when: The batter fills about two-thirds of the pan with a level surface.
Tip: Sprinkle a few extra chopped walnuts or a pinch of cinnamon on top for a crunchy finish, if you like.
7
Bake the loafOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes.
- If the top browns deeply before 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
- Start checking at 55 minutes.
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Ready when: The top is deep golden brown and springs back lightly. A toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, and an instant-read thermometer reads 205–210°F (96–99°C).
Tip: Wet streaks on the toothpick mean it needs 5 more minutes. Check again, since zucchini pockets can look wet. Test in a spot without a zucchini shred.
8
Rest in the pan
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the loaf rest for 15 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges, then lift or invert the loaf out of the pan onto the rack.
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Ready when: The loaf releases cleanly and feels firm on the sides.
Tip: Don't leave it in the pan longer than 20 minutes, or steam can make the bottom soggy.
9
Cool completely, slice
- Cool the loaf right-side up on the rack for at least 1 hour.
- Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion into 10 slices, each about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
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Ready when: The loaf is fully cool to the touch on the bottom and slices without crumbling or gumminess.
Tip: Slicing while warm gives a gummy, crumbly texture.

Good to know

Tips

Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it, or weigh it. Packed whole wheat flour makes a dry, dense loaf.
Leave the peel on the zucchini for color and fiber. It disappears into the bread once baked.
Use a medium zucchini. Large ones have seedy, watery centers, so scrape out the seeds with a spoon before grating if yours is oversized.
Whole wheat flour absorbs liquid slowly. If the batter looks loose, let it sit for 5 minutes before panning; it will thicken.

Make ahead

"Bake the loaf up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped at room temperature. The flavor deepens overnight. You can also grate the zucchini a day ahead and refrigerate it in a covered container. Drain off any liquid before using."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: wrap tightly or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerator: up to 7 days, wrapped well. Freezer: wrap whole or sliced loaf in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or toast slices straight from frozen. Rewarm slices in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 minutes or in a toaster."

Substitutions

honey → pure maple syrup. Use the same amount (225 g). The flavor is slightly milder, and the loaf may brown a little less.
plain whole-milk yogurt → sour cream or unsweetened applesauce. Use the same amount. Applesauce gives a slightly denser, sweeter crumb.
neutral oil, such as avocado or canola → melted unsalted butter or melted coconut oil. Use the same amount and let it cool slightly before whisking so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
walnuts → pecans, raisins or dark chocolate chips. Use the same amount. Skip the nuts entirely for a nut-free loaf.