This is a warm, spicy and sweet bread. It was a recipe that I came up with years ago to use up the monster zucchini’s that were choking my mom’s garden. Zucchini grows locally in the summer, but it is a squash that is readily available everywhere all year round, so feel to make this bread anytime. I will make this for a late afternoon snack, add vanilla ice cream, and have it for dessert, or as used here- it is great for breakfast or brunch. It is heart and moist, with just enough spice. This bread is not overly sweet, and has a subtle enough zucchini flavor that your kids will eat it too.

Spiced Zucchini Bread

-1 cup vegetable oil
-2-1/4 cups white sugar
-3 tsp vanilla
-3 eggs
-3 cups flour
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-3 tsp cinnamon
-2-1/2 cups of shredded zucchini
-1 cup of toasted walnuts (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 loaf pans with nonstick vegetable spray.

2) In a standing mixer, fitted with a flat paddle mixer, cream together the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat until completely combined, about 2 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, sift together the flour with the salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix until just combined.

4) Add the shredded zucchini, and lightly mix together until just combined. If you are using the walnuts, add these now too.

5) Evenly divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake them at 350 for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.