Zucchini Quick Bread

I love incorporating vegetables and fruits into baked goods. Zucchini (yellow or green), a refrigerator staple, turns into zucchini bread among other yummy dishes and features among the "oft-baked" desserts. Possibilities are endless. so there is never a dull moment in the kitchen.

 

source: heymominfo.com

This time around, I baked a simple zucchini bread. Here is the recipe, a slice with evening tea goes a long way :)

All you need:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Zucchini (grated) - 1 cup
Apple (grated) - 1 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup or lesser 
Sugar (I used light brown)- 1 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Garam masala powder (Indian all spice powder ) - 1/2  tsp
Elaichi powder (cardamom powder) - 1 tsp
Milk/water - 1 1/2 cups or lesser
apple cider vinegar or Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Process:

• Mix grated Zucchini, grated apple, sugar, oil, spice powder, elaichi powder, and lemon juice - mix well
• Add the baking powder and baking soda to your whole wheat flour and mix well
• Fold the mixed flour into the zucchini mix with milk or water
• Grease a bread pan or a baking pan of your choice and pour in the mixture 
• Bake the mixture at 350 F for 45 -50 minutes  (or until done - smaller ovens may require lesser baking time)Do the toothpick/fork test to check if the loaf is done
• Take it out of the oven and let it cool 
• Ease out the loaf from the sides of the pan and slide it out. 
• Slice and serve with sugar dust (Optional)

There are a few other variation to baking a zucchini bread. I plan to do a post on every variety. In the meanwhile, do try this simple bread and let me know....

Trivia

• Different versions and types of breads have been baked since the neolithic age and the preparations have evolved over the years.  
• Quick breads are loaves baked with chemical leavening agents(baking powder / baking soda) unlike traditional breads which require yeast and a sufficient amount of time to rise.
• Did you know that cakes, muffins, scones etc are all considered to be different varieties of quick bread.
• An interesting fact about Zucchini bread is that it is called a bread because the Early American cuisine (18th century) had a quick bread recipe which was not leavened using yeast but with a chemical called "pearlash" - a refined compound of potash.
• This simple bread is a vegetarian version which could go vegan by replacing brown sugar wiht raw sugar or jaggery and the milk with water.
• Grated apple helps in keeping the cake moist and allows for reducing oil or butter in the dish
• you could use lauki/ bottle gourd instead of zucchini. Make sure you adjust the water or milk quantity as zucchini and bottle gourd ooze a lot of water when grated.
• As always, I would like to mention that each oven settings and timing requirements are different. It is better to try out temp settings and timing before you go full fledged with your baking
• The brand of baking powder or soda matters and makes a difference in your rise...so quantity used to should be suit your requirement