Recipe: Zucchini Bread with 5 Variations

ZUCCHINI BREAD

"Here's a popular recipe for zucchini loaf, along with some interesting new variations. All are good sliced thinly and buttered."

3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts and/or raisins

Beat eggs well. Gradually beat in sugar, then oil and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Mix or sift together dry ingredients. Stir into zucchini mixture along with nuts and or raisins.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans (each 8x4 inches). Bake in 350 F oven for 45 to 55 min. Or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min., then turn out to wire racks.

VARIATIONS:

WHOLE-WHEAT ZUCCHINI BREAD:
Use half whole-wheat and half all-purpose flour. Brown sugar may be used instead of white.

HONEY ZUCCHINI BREAD:
Substitute 1 cup honey for the sugar.

ORANGE OR LEMON ZUCCHINI BREAD:
Add 2 tablespoons grated orange or lemon rind, with or without the spices, or add l teaspoon ginger.

PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI BREAD:
Reduce zucchini to 1 1/2 cups; add one 14 ounce can crushed pineapple (well drained).

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD:
Increase sugar to 1 3/4 cups; add 2 squares melted unsweetened chocolate with the zucchini. Reduce cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and omit nutmeg. Chopped almonds are a good choice for the nuts called for in the basic recipe.

Make 2 loaves
Source: William/Janie McKinney, 1997