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Golden Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread and its natural companion: butter.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a fan of toaster ovens. Then, of course, my oven’s baking ignitor gave up during a beautiful stretch of cool, fall-like weather, and I needed a plan. My husband — the self-styled Evil Genius — has been trying to convert me to the toaster-oven camp for years. I suspect he enjoys whispering about lower propane bills, but for once I had zucchini that needed immediate attention and no working oven.
The porch, the stoop and every available patch of lawn had become an unofficial zucchini farm. Some of the squash were the size of small dogs; plenty were ideal for shredding into bread batter. I craved the classic zucchini bread: not-too-sweet, flecks of green, crusty heels. With the oven down, stuffed zucchini and other long-baking options were out, so I reluctantly hauled the toaster oven upstairs.
Surprise: the toaster oven performed wonderfully. I used silicone mini-loaf pans (three fit perfectly), and they baked evenly with a golden crumb and crisp edges. The result was a light, slightly sweet quick bread that handled the whole-wheat flour without feeling heavy. I even admitted to the Evil Genius that the toaster oven wasn’t as awful as I’d insisted — he resisted gloating, though I caught a quiet, satisfied mutter as he walked away.
Yikes! Fun house mirror effect.
Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread
This is a lighter take on traditional zucchini bread: only mildly sweet and not dense. It uses less sugar and oil than many recipes, and the result is a moist, golden loaf that pairs wonderfully with cream cheese or whipped butter. The recipe was inspired by a King Arthur Flour version, but I’ve skipped nuts and raisins — personal preference, not a rule. If you prefer add-ins, feel free to fold them in.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup unbleached bread flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini with the liquid
Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three mini loaf pans or one 9″x5″ loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In a separate container, whisk the eggs, milk and vegetable oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until most of the flour is incorporated. Fold in the shredded zucchini and its liquid until the batter is evenly moist.
Divide the batter among the three mini loaf pans, or pour it into the prepared 9″x5″ pan.
Bake the mini loaves for about 45 minutes, beginning to check at 30 minutes. For a 9″x5″ loaf, start checking at 45 minutes and expect 60–75 minutes total. The loaves are done when the surface looks dry and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the loaves cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and cool completely on the rack.
If the family doesn’t polish them off immediately, wrap the loaves tightly and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
How did we like the recipe?
This version earned high marks at our house: 12 thumbs up out of 14. One family member who has a near-clinical aversion to green in food reluctantly tried a tiny piece and pronounced it “not horrible,” so overall the response was enthusiastic. The zucchini blends well into the batter—if you process it finely, the green flecks are subtle and the texture stays light.
Because it is lower in oil and sugar than many quick-bread recipes, this loaf feels more like a wholesome treat than a dessert. It bakes up with a golden crumb and a pleasing crust. If you’re looking to change up your regular zucchini bread, this recipe is worth a try — you might find it becomes a new favorite.