A famous baker once said- “You don’t have to love cooking to cook, but you have to do more than love baking to bake. You have to bake out of love.”
And we couldn’t resonate more with anything!
Baking is therapeutic in so many ways & this blogs is ALL ABOUT THAT BREAD! For more baking recipes, visit our food recipe blog.
Today, we focus on Zucchini Bread. Zucchini bread is one of the quick breads that developed later in the 18th century. This took place in America, where pearlash was discovered. Pearlash is refined potash that produces carbon dioxide gas in the dough. Zucchini was grown in America first and Europe later, hence zucchini bread developed as soon as the artificial leavening agent set in America.
During World War II, zucchini had proved to be a prolific grower in American victory gardens. It remained in home gardens after the war, and recipes proliferated.
Food historians point to the 1960s for the growth in popularity of zucchini bread. The hippie movement was in full swing, and hippies sought healthier foods. As an alternative to the sugary frosted layer cakes and sheet cakes, sweet quick bread like zucchini bread and carrot cake became popular, modelled after banana bread.
But why Zucchini, you ask? Here’s why-
Zucchini as a vegetable is quite wholesome. Easy to grow, beneficial in multiple ways, and it also absorbs flavour quite easily, hence perfect for baking! So perfect, that 23rd April is National Zucchini Bread Day- The fame this vegetable gets is impressive! While of course, this vegetable makes a great lasagna, stir fry, and casserole, it also makes great bread- So here’s a great zucchini bread recipe!
Ingredients-
- 250 g all-purpose flour (spoon & levelled)
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg – Acc. to taste
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 120 g dark brown sugar
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 60g yoghurt
- Vanilla extract
- 180 g shredded zucchini
- Nuts, chocolate chips (optional)
Method-
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease your bread pan.
- Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
- Take another bowl and whisk oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, yoghurt, and vanilla together until combined.
- Add the zucchini. Now mix the dry and the wet ingredients and gently fold the mixture.
- Add any chocolate chips or nut while folding and pour the batter into the greased pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until firm all the way. - Your zucchini bread is ready!
You can also store this by clear wrapping and storing it in the freezer for up to one week. Here are a few Zucchini facts you would like to know-
- Zucchini is also known as the summer squash and can also be yellow in color!
- What is another, very English name for the summer squash- Courgette!
- Most baking recipes that use zucchini call for it to be grated before being incorporated into the batter.
- Technically, the word “zucchini” is plural. One is actually called “zucchina”.
- Zucchini has a high fiber content, is low in carbs, and is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals that are important for the health of the body.
Happy Baking!