A friend of mine from Books Through Bars tipped me off to this delicious recipe back in 2008. Actually, let me rephrase: she taunted me with slice after slice of this zucchini bread on multiple occasions until I broke down and begged for the recipe.
If you have a glut of zucchini this summer, this is a great way to use some up, but it’s also the kind of recipe I feel like eating year-round. It’s spicy — there’s a whole lotta nutmeg and cinnamon — and it just has a great, warm flavor. I love the texture, too; it’s fluffy and moist with a nice crumb.
I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit from the original and the ingredients are pretty darn wholesome, so if you’re looking to sneak in a few extra veggies onto a picky eater’s plate, this might be just what you’re looking for. If that’s the case, you should probably just call it “Spicy Awesome Bread.” Or if you’re looking to instill fear, Midwestern grandma-style, call it “Spicy Surprise Bread.” While you’re at it, you might as well “sneak in” some chocolate chips, too — they pair awesomely with the flavors in this bread.
- 6 tbsp ground flax seeds
- ½ c warm water
- 2 c turbinado sugar (or light brown sugar)
- ½ c oil
- ½ c applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 to 2½ c grated zucchini (~3 medium-sized ones)
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 c whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c chocolate chips or raisins, optional
- Grease two loaf pans.
- Mix together flax seeds and warm water.
- Add sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla; beat well.
- Add grated zucchini; stir til combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients.
- Add dry mixture to wet and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and everything is incorporated evenly; some lumps are fine. If adding additional mix-ins, fold them in now. Divide batter between prepared pans.
- Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes before slicing.
67 comments
Janina Locascio says:
Sep 17, 2012
Just bought a zucchini from the store and definitely going to try this recipe out! Thanks & keep up the good work!
Chelly says:
Oct 6, 2012
Can i substitute the sugar with a fruit puree? I’m trying to cut down on sugar with my baking.
claryn says:
Nov 4, 2012
You can! I haven’t done it myself, but a number of commenters have replaced some of the sugar and/or oil with applesauce or other fruit purees with success. Remember that sugar and oil are preservatives, so if you reduce either, you’ll want to eat the bread soon after baking it, as it will go stale faster.
Deb says:
Oct 7, 2012
Excellent! Followed the reicipe exactly except that I added chopped walnuts. Love the warmth of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
Christine Schlegel says:
Oct 8, 2012
Absolutely delish and easy to make. I’ve already made this bread twice in the last week. It is surprisingly light textured and so moist. Extended my cooking time about 10-15 additional minutes. Thank you for this recipe!
A. Xandi Newell says:
Oct 12, 2012
Nothing short of stellar! I have made this Vegan Zucchini bread more than once and am delighted by it every time. Dense and moist but not at all heavy. Accompanied by a good cup of java, this zucchini bread will not disappoint! Oh, and on a couple of occasions, I’ve even adapted the recipe to suit a gluten-free diet for a friend. It came out beautifully then as well. Thank you!
mary b says:
Oct 13, 2012
got to be the best of all zucchini breads ever. can add nuts, dried cranberries, orange peel, chips…wonderful recipe! thanks!
Julie says:
Nov 10, 2012
I made this recipe awhile ago and LOVED it!! I pinned it with a glowing review on pinterest. Today I picked up 25lbs of zucchini on special from Cash and Carry and am in the process of shredding it in the food processor and freezing 1 lb bags of it. I’m so excited to be able to make this whenever we want some tasty zucchini bread. Plus, being vegan, my 10 month old can have some. He’s going to love it!!!
Vegan Zucchini Bread | sheenaghcaridi's Blog says:
Nov 21, 2012
[...] See the original recipe here [...]
Jennifer says:
Dec 21, 2012
I have to say this is the best zucchini bread I’ve ever had in my life! I’m making it now, for the second time, to bring to a party. I’m subbing leftover spaghetti squash for the zuke, though. Let’s see what happens! Stringy!
Vegan Zucchini Bread « Butter Beans Blog says:
Jan 22, 2013
[...] Makes 2 loaf pans, recipe adapted from hell yeah it’s vegan! [...]
melike says:
Feb 13, 2013
amazing!!!!!!!!!!! so delicious
thank you
Nikki says:
Feb 13, 2013
This was so amazing. It tasted so similar to the non-vegan version! Great recipe <3
Diane says:
Feb 17, 2013
Love this recipe!!! It is so easy to make. I make this recipe often. The people I share it with just ABSOLUTELY love it. No exaggeration. When I tell them it has no dairy, they are surprised.
Thanks for sharing
Cherry-Zucchini Bread | Epicurean Vegan says:
Mar 3, 2013
[...] bring along this amazing bread to share (with the humans) of Beakon Hill. The recipe is adapted from Hell Yeah it’s Vegan, because I made a few changes and added some ingredients. That’s the beauty of making two [...]
Natacha says:
Mar 8, 2013
I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow. Do I have to use the all purpose flour? I’m trying to stay away from bleached products. Will using additional whole wheat flour damage the recipe? Thank you!
claryn says:
Mar 9, 2013
Baked goods made entirely with whole wheat flour are different, both in taste and texture/density. Yes, you can definitely make this bread entirely with whole wheat flour — but I can’t promise you (or I) would love it. Some people like baked goods made entirely with whole wheat flour, and some people don’t. In lots of recipes, you’ll see white and whole wheat flour used in combination, to get the flavor and “health benefits” of whole wheat without completely changing the texture or having the taste overwhelm everything.
In any case, there is another easy option: unbleached all purpose flour. I haven’t used bleached flour in years and years myself, because bleach is gross!
Ashley says:
Mar 10, 2013
Can I make this as a whole loaf in a larger pan? I only have an appx. 12 in loaf pan… Just not sure how long it should bake then.
Audie says:
Mar 10, 2013
Trying this recipe right now. Omitted the oil and just added more applesauce. I also added some shredded carrots and nuts. I will let you know how it turns out.
Sunita says:
Mar 14, 2013
Claryn, this is one of those never fail recipes and its a favourite here in my home. Its infact so awesome, it takes well to substitutes! I mostly follow your recipe to the T but a couple of times, I’ve made it with 1 cup oil or 1 cup applesauce instead of 1/2 c oil and 1/2 c applesauce. I also use 1/2 c chocolate chips and 1/2 c chopped walnuts. Thank you for this winner!
Ashley, I’ve made this as a single loaf in a 12 inch pan. Usually takes 5 – 10 minutes longer to bake, sometimes not. I suggest being vigilant from 50 minutes onwards, checking with a knife.
claryn says:
Mar 14, 2013
Sunita, you rule! Thanks for your tip and the kind words. This really is a super versatile recipe, and I always love hearing all the different twists folks come up with!
Katie says:
Mar 21, 2013
Hi Claryn,
I have made this recipe twice now and cannot figure out why mine comes out gooey. I am trying to bake it longer as we speak but I have been making it exactly as you have it written. Any help is appreciated. We LOVE The flavor of the bread.
claryn says:
Mar 24, 2013
Sorry you’re having trouble, Katie! It’s possible that your oven runs cooler than mine does, so it should be fine to just increase the baking time. If you don’t already know, every time you open your oven door, it drops at least 100 degrees… so if you find that the bread isn’t done and continue checking it every couple of minutes, it’ll need to be in the oven a lot longer than if you’d just left it in for an extra five minutes in the first place. Also, if you’re using the larger amount of zucchini, you might try using the smaller amount instead, which would reduce the overall amount of liquid in the bread. Good luck!
Jah says:
Mar 30, 2013
Absolutely FANTASTIC. Thank you.
Fitness Tip: Prepare In Advance and Save Time | Living Fit Mommy says:
Apr 23, 2013
[...] a zucchini bread to satisfy my sweet cravings (no more sneaking a few Oreos here and there); I found the recipe on the internet and was quite happy with the result (see [...]
Alexa says:
May 5, 2013
This bread is fantastic! I had two small zucchini’s in the fridge and they gave me just the right amount when I grated them. It’s the first time I’ve used “flax eggs” in a recipe. My omni husband loves it too. I held off until after he said he liked it to tell him it had zucchini in it and that it was vegan. Thank you so much for sharing! BTW I baked the whole recipe in a non stick 15 inch loaf pan and it turned out really well @ 55mins.
claryn says:
May 19, 2013
Awesome. Thanks for the tip, Alexa!