There is something rather satisfying about baking with zucchini at this time of year, when there is so much of it about. We planted a small crop this year, enough for a few summer cakes and a loaf like this one. It’s spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and made with a little sourdough discard, and a heavy layer of turbinado sugar over the top bakes into a crackly, sugary crust. Just the thing for late morning, cut into thick slices with coffee.
Bakers Notes
• Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater and don’t wring it out. Many recipes have you squeeze it dry, though here you want all that moisture going into the batter.
• Once the loaf is out of the oven, let it cool completely in the pan and leave it there overnight, uncovered. I love it best the next day — the flavor deepens as it sits and the crumb turns more moist. Leaving it open keeps the turbinado top crisp.
• Olive oil works in place of the avocado oil, and so does melted butter. Butter gives the loaf a richer flavor, while an oil keeps it soft for days.
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Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Description
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients
2 cups (370g) grated zucchini, packed
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (100g) sourdough discard
⅔ cup (160ml) avocado oil
1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (25g) turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, and line with parchment, leaving a slight overhang on both sides.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, and don’t wring it out.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sourdough discard, avocado oil, both sugars, vanilla and salt. Add the flour mixture and mix until almost combined, then fold in the zucchini, only until no flour pockets remain.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle, and again into the top of the dome, comes out clean. Let the loaf cool completely in the pan before lifting it out by the parchment and slicing.
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