Zucchini Bread · Cinnamon Walnut
Moist Cinnamon Walnut Zucchini Bread
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Before you start
Gather your ingredients
Swaps for all-purpose flour
Instead of all-purpose flour
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
- Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
- Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.
All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for ground cinnamon
Instead of cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice: The same amount. Mostly cinnamon, with ginger, nutmeg and allspice or cloves: a little spicier.
- Ground allspice or nutmeg: About ¼ the amount. Much stronger and different, but warm in the same way.
Swaps for ground nutmeg
Instead of nutmeg
- Ground mace: A little less. Made from the same fruit; slightly sharper.
- Pumpkin pie spice or allspice: The same amount. Warmer and more cinnamon-forward.
Swaps for baking soda
Instead of baking soda
- Baking powder: 3 tsp baking powder for each 1 tsp baking soda. It rises, but bakes come out paler and puffier, cookies spread less, and the extra powder can taste a little bitter.
Swaps for baking powder
Instead of baking powder
- Baking soda + cream of tartar: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar for each 1 tsp baking powder. Rises the same if you don't let the batter sit.
- Baking soda + buttermilk or yogurt: ¼ tsp baking soda for each 1 tsp baking powder, and swap ½ cup of the recipe's milk for buttermilk or thinned yogurt. Good rise with a light tang.
- Self-rising flour: Use it for the flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. Each cup has about 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt built in, so it only fits recipes close to that ratio.
Swaps for kosher salt
Instead of salt
- Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
- Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.
Swaps for eggs
Instead of eggs
- Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
- Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
- Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Swaps for vegetable oil
Instead of vegetable oil
- Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
- Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
- Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.
Swaps for granulated sugar
Instead of sugar
- Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
- Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
- Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.
Swaps for brown sugar
Instead of brown sugar
- White sugar + molasses: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (light) or 2 tbsp (dark). The same as store-bought.
- White sugar: The same amount. Crisper, paler cookies with less caramel flavor.
- Light and dark brown sugar: The same amount, either way. Dark brown sugar tastes stronger and makes bakes a bit darker and moister.
Swaps for vanilla extract
Instead of vanilla extract
- Vanilla bean paste: The same amount. Stronger, with visible vanilla seeds.
- Vanilla bean: The seeds of 1 bean for each 1 tbsp extract. A deeper, floral flavor and visible seeds.
- Alcohol-free vanilla: The same amount. Made with glycerin; a slightly milder taste.
Swaps for walnuts
Instead of nuts
- Another nut: The same amount. Pecans are sweeter and softer, walnuts slightly bitter, almonds firmer and milder.
- Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds: The same amount. Smaller and crunchier, with an earthy taste.
- Leave them out, or use chocolate chips or toasted oats: The same amount (or none). Leaving nuts out doesn't change how a batter bakes.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
Step 1 of 11
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). a 9x5-inch loaf pan and it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides.
Grease (how to grease and flour a pan)
Grease and flour a pan Coat a pan with fat (and sometimes flour) so baked goods release cleanly. 1. Rub a thin layer of soft butter or shortening into every corner with a paper towel, or use baking spray.2. For cakes, add a spoonful of flour, tilt and tap the pan until it is coated.3. Turn the pan over and tap out the extra flour.4. For chocolate cakes, use cocoa instead of flour so there is no white film. Done when: Every surface, corners included, is lightly coated with no bare spots or thick clumps. How to grease and flour a baking pan: mistakes to avoidline (how to line a pan)
Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid350°F
Step 2 of 11
Grate (how to grate)
Grate Rub food over sharp holes to shred it into fine or coarse bits. 1. Set a box grater on a plate or board, or hold a rasp grater over the bowl.2. Hold the food firmly and press it down the grater in long strokes.3. Turn the food as you go so you always grate a flat face.4. Stop when the piece gets small; save the last nub for snacking or the stockpot. Done when: You have even shreds. Cold cheese and cold butter grate cleanest; fresh ginger grates best peeled and frozen. Safety: Stop while there is still a good handle of food left, and use a cut glove if you grate a lot.How to grate cheese, ginger and vegetables: mistakes to avoidStep 3 of 11
Pile the grated zucchini on a clean towel and press gently to blot off excess water. Do not wring it dry.
Step 4 of 11
In a medium bowl, the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
whisk (how to whisk)
Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoidStep 5 of 11
In a large bowl, the eggs, oil, both sugars and vanilla until smooth.
whisk (how to whisk)
Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoidStep 6 of 11
Stir the zucchini into the egg mixture.
Step 7 of 11
Add the flour mixture and fold just until no dry flour remains. in the walnuts, if using.
Fold (how to fold)
Fold Combine a light mixture (whipped cream, beaten whites) or chunky add-ins into a batter gently, so it stays airy. 1. Put the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one, or add the flour or chips.2. Cut a rubber spatula straight down through the middle to the bottom of the bowl.3. Sweep it across the bottom and up the side, then turn it over on top.4. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.5. Stop as soon as no streaks remain. Done when: There are no dry streaks or white blobs, and the mixture still looks light and puffy. Safety: Batters with raw eggs or flour aren't safe to eat raw.How to fold ingredients into a batter: mistakes to avoidStep 8 of 11
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Step 9 of 11
Bake until in the center comes out clean. If the top browns quickly, lay foil over it after 40 minutes.
a toothpick (how to toothpick test)
Toothpick test A quick way to tell if a cake, quick bread or brownie is baked through. 1. Near the end of the baking time, open the oven and pull out the rack.2. Poke a toothpick or thin skewer into the center (the last place to set).3. Pull it straight out and look at it.4. If wet batter clings, bake a few minutes more and test again. Done when: Clean, or with a few moist crumbs for brownies and fudgy cakes. Wet, shiny batter means not yet. How to test a cake with a toothpick: mistakes to avoid350°F
Step 10 of 11
Cool in the pan on a rack.
Step 11 of 11
Lift the loaf out by the parchment and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing.
All done
Enjoy!
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