This simple zucchini bread recipe is super moist from the addition of sour cream and some extra warm and bright flavor from fresh orange zest and cloves. It’s a staple in the summer months when zucchini is plentiful, but wonderful at any time for a cozy snack! If you love zucchini bread, you might also love my popular Chocolate Zucchini Bread, or this Bundt Cake Version.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll see all the familiar players here: zucchini, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, etc. It’s the additions that take this bread over the top.
- Spices – A touch of cinnamon and cloves give this bread rich, warm flavor.
- Sour Cream – Sour cream keeps this bread tender and moist. Full fat is best, but reduced fat will work. Avoid fat free.
- Orange Zest – Use fresh zest here (make sure to wash your orange first!), not dehydrated or freeze dried.
- Toasted Pecans – These are totally optional. If you like nuts in your sweet breads, go ahead and toss them in! I personally don’t like the texture they take on once baked, so I prefer to leave them out.
- Topping – This is where the good stuff is. Sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon create a sweet, crunchy crust on top of the zucchini bread that’s hard to beat.
How To Make Zucchini Bread
- Pre-heat oven and line loaf pans with parchment or grease and flour them.
- Place shredded zucchini in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and set aside to allow and excess moisture to drip off.
- Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside. Combine your topping ingredients in another small bowl and set aside.
- Beat a couple of eggs with with some oil, sugar, brown, sugar, and vanilla. Then mix in sour cream and orange zest.
- Squeeze out any excess moisture from zucchini, then add it to the batter and mix in gently.
- Add dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter between your pans and sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the tops. Bake until a knife comes out clean, and then allow your loaves to cool in the pans, on a cooling rack, for at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from the pan or it will come out in chunks!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time? This bread is delicious as soon as it’s cool enough to eat, and perhaps even more delicious the next day! Feel free to make it ahead of time and store, covered, on the countertop until ready to serve.
Can I freeze this bread? Yes! Sweet breads freeze great. Allow your loaf to cool completely, then wrap tightly first in plastic wrap, then in foil. Label the foil with a sharpie, pop in a plastic zip top bag if desired, and transfer to the freezer where it can stay fresh for up to 3 months. A frozen loaf will take anywhere from 2-4 hours to fully thaw on the countertop, so keep that in mind when you are ready to take it out of the freezer.
Related Recipes
If you like this zucchini bread, you will LOVE this Chocolate Zucchini Bread. This Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake is another incredible option. Looking for some other sweet breads? Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze and Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread are some other great choices.
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Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- BREAD2 1/4 C flour2 teaspoons cinnamon1/8 teaspoon ground cloves1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda1/2 cup canola oil3/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar3 eggs2 teaspoons vanillazest from one large orange1/2 cup sour cream3 cups grated zucchinioptional: 2/3 cups chopped pecans toasted
- TOPPING2 tablespoons white sugar2 tablespoons brown sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 smaller (8x4) loaf pans and set aside. Or you can do a larger 9x5 loaf pan and a couple of mini loaves.
- Place shredded zucchini in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and set aside.
- Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Beat eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla for about 30 seconds. Add sour cream and orange zest and beat to combine. Very gently press down on zucchini in strainer and discard extra liquid. Mix zucchini into batter.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Divide batter between 2 pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over tops. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
- Make sure to let your loaf rest on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before you try to remove it from the pan or it will come out in chunks!
Questions & Reviews
In the oven right now? Smells wonderful!
This bread looks delicious! I have one question, do I squeeze the water out of the zucchini? If yes, do I measure the 3 cups before or after squeezing the water out?
No, you don’t have to squeeze any water out, but just in case people have extra juicy ones, I have edited the instructions. It helps to just place the zucchini in a strainer for the few minutes that you spend prepping the recipe. It will release a little water that you can then pour off. Measure the quantity before that 🙂
I also substituted 1/2 cup flax meal for a 1/2 cup of the flour.
I made the bread but made some healthy substitutes: 1/2 cup applesauce for oil, agave for all sugar,egg beaters for eggs, Greek yogurt for sour cream. The flavor was awesome but after I took the nice raised loaf out of the oven and let it cool, it dropped and was kind of like a bread pudding with crust. I need suggestions on how to make the substitutes and get a nice loaf??