Zucchini Banana Bread

It’s summer, so zucchini is everywhere! I’ve shared plenty of recipes and can’t get enough of it. Every year, our garden is the exception to the rule of overabundance of zucchini. I love the kidding around about leaving zucchini on a neighbor’s porch… I sure wish someone would! If the garden disappoints, I run the roads for free and cheap zucchini. Sometimes, I get a monster for 30 cents!

During the summer in our kitchen, there are usually bananas, and fruit flies. When the bananas get mushy, I make banana bread. The perfect storm happened one morning when I had bananas to turn into bread, and a monster on the counter. I have a shredder attachment for my food processor, but when I only need a few cups of something, it’s not worth all the mess. So, I grab my knuckle-busting grater and get what I need in a few minutes.

Welcome to Zucchini Banana Bread!

Zucchini Banana Bread  

Preheat oven: Nonstick pans 325 degrees, shiny 350 degrees : grease and flour pans.

I use convection bake setting because I can bake several pans at once with even browning.

Ingredients

Makes 2 loaves

3 cups Flour

1 tsp Salt (I use less or none)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tablespoon Cinnamon  (I double)

3 large Eggs

1 cup Vegetable/Neutral Oil

2 1/4 cups Sugar (I generally blend brown sugar and monk fruit sugar replacement)

1 tablespoon Vanilla (who are we kidding? Slosh that in!!)

2-3 ripe Bananas

2 or 3 cups of grated/shredded Zucchini (if too watery, squeeze out excess liquid)

1 cup chopped Nut Pieces (I use more)

1 cup of (*choose your preference): Raisins, Dates, Currants, dried Cranberries, Blueberries, Apples…(**of course I use more!)

Instructions

1.      Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

2.      Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and bananas in a large bowl.

3.      Combine moist and dry ingredients in the large bowl

4.      Add in the zucchini, nuts and dried fruit of choice

5.      Pour the batter into prepared pans. I prefer to use my Pampered Chef large square brownie pan, and to use the rest in an 8x12 pan. Loaf quick breads don’t always bake evenly for me, so this way everyone gets a uniform square muffin.

6.      Bake in preheated oven. Loaf pans bake 40-60 minutes. The smaller units and flatter pans usually bake in 30 minutes or less. Keep an eye on them and test occasionally.

I baked a double batch of zucchini bread to take on vacation to share with friends and family. It was a huge hit! I’ve also made cream cheese frosting and used this recipe for a layer cake. You can make it without the bananas, and it will be perfect anyway. Lots of folks wanted the recipe!