Supremely moist and soft inside, this classic zucchini bread truly is the ultimate! Spread individual slices with a tropical orange cream cheese for an indulgent summer breakfast/brunch.
Sneaky veggie baking continues. In other news, I’ve got a boatload of zucchini. ZE-RO complaints here, people. I’m preeetty sure I could live off this green stuff forever.
Scratch that. I could live on this zucchini bread for-EVER.
So in retrospect, zucchini bread sounds like a terrific idea to use up your mountains of zucchini AND store it as quickie breakfast in the freezer, amiright? But how many of you have baked up a few loaves of zucchini bread, were super-proud of yourself and then sat down to enjoy that first slice only to discover that it was dry, crumbly and pretty much tasteless?
Even a cream cheese spread wouldn’t take away the loathsome texture of dryness. And then you still had 5 other loaves that still had to be eaten.
Now, imagine an unbelievably-moist, perfectly flavored with just a hint of cinnamon, and dotted-all-over-with-crunchy-walnuts slice of zucchini bread.
And, of course generously slathered with a luscious cream cheese spread.
Sink your teeth into that why dontcha? 😉
I’ll let you guess which of those two types of zucchini bread I’m sharing with you today. I’ll give you a hint though: I despise dry zucchini bread.
I know a lot of people hate the word, “moist” but really, MOIST quick bread AAAAALL the way.
I’m gonna lay a big secret on you guys: This zucchini bread is SUPA-healthy, low-fat, and SUPER-low in calories!
Seriously, there are only 101 calories in each slice. Therefore, you have my go-head to eat the entire loaf in one sitting. Piece by piece. 😉 You’re definitely gonna want to, trust me.
This recipe easily doubles or triples, so feel free to make several loaves of this bread for the freezer. It freezes beautifully, so you could still be enjoying zucchini bread in December!
You know, just to remind you of those carefree summer days that you miss so much. WAAAHH.
I made a few loaves of this bread the other day for photographing and then I planned to throw them in the freezer, buuuuut somehow one of those slices didn’t make it to the freezer.
Sneaky little zucchini bread slices.
P.S. This recipe is 100% goof up-proof. I’ve literally made this bread 4 times in the past week. NO joke.
Ultimate Zucchini Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup tightly-packed shredded zucchini
- 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- CREAM CHEESE SPREAD:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons xylitol or sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and shredded zucchini until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Gently fold flour mixture into liquid mixture until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in chopped walnuts.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake zucchini bread at 350F 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool bread in pan 1 hour before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Make the cream cheese spread: Place all ingredients in a small bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Serve with zucchini bread.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Looking for more ways to use up that zucchini? Gotcha’ covered!
Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Claudia says
So yummy! That appears to be amazing.
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
This zucchini bread looks so moist Sarah! I am loving the orange cream cheese spread!
Sarah says
Thanks, Christin!
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
Love love love zucchini bread!! Probably one of my favorites in the “bread world” can’t wait to try this Sarah, gorgeous photos too girl! Just keep getting better and better!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Krista! Your comments are always the sweetest! You definitely need to try this bread, girl—it didn’t disappoint all 1.5 billion times I tested it! LOL.