This year we decided a backyard garden would be fun…..or let me rephrase that…..I thought it would be fun, and my two kids thought “oh boy, here we go again.” The garden planting from seeds, building my fabulous above ground box, plus my crazy awesome tomato trellis, those things are a story for another day.
I want to fast forward today to the best zucchini bread in all the land.
With 3 gorgeous varieties of zucchinis growing fruitfully in my little garden, recipe taste testing and tweaking was the new FUN of the summer. Zucchini chips, zucchini lasagna, oven baked zucchini with cheese….none of which the kids liked….tasted too much like zucchini. Go figure.
How about a bread…I could make that one work.
In a bread, you won’t get the taste of the veggie, you just get the moist goodness…..like no other ingredient I’ve ever added before.
Who doesn’t love a fresh baked bread for breakfast, snack or really just anytime.
Next came taste testing, trying out adding different flavors (banana, chocolate, lemon, apple…….) until finally BLUEBERRY!
This bread is CRACK!
It is the perfect mixture of not too sweet, texture and moistness from the zucchini is all just magical.
Once I perfected the recipe, I have been making this bread 3 loaves at a time, sharing them with family and friends.
Nobody believes there is zucchini in it, and sometimes the whole loaf is gone in one day.
No guilt needed though, it’s got vegetables in it…..so it’s good for you!
Are you ready to make this magical crack bread?
I’ll apologize now if your kids or your parents (I try to deliver a weekly loaf to my parents – as they have said “This might be the best thing you have EVER made!” WHOA – that’s a statement people!) get hooked on this wonderful goodness.
The Best Zucchini Blueberry Bread
12 ingredients
1 1/4 cup Blueberries, fresh
1 cup Zucchini, fresh – grated
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup Sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease bread pain with flour baking spray. (You have this right? Best baking invention ever!)
2. Grate your fresh zucchini. You don’t need to peel it first. I get about 1 cup grated per zucchini, but obviously that depends on the variety and size on your garden beauties.
3. Take 1/4 cup of your flour and coat 1 cup of fresh blueberries with it. This keeps like them from sinking to the bottom when it is baking. Note, you are NOT coating 1/4 cup of the blueberries. Save those for the top. :)
4. Now let’s put it together. In a mixer, (or bowl if you want to use elbow grease instead) add egg, sugars, sour cream, vanilla, butter – cream until blended nicely.
5. Next, add the remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until mixed throughly.
6. Add the grated zucchini.
7. Lastly add the floured blueberries by hand. The mixer blade will smoosh all those beautiful berries.
8. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
9. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries on the top of the bread batter…..so it looks pretty.
10. Bake for at least 55 minutes. This is the tricky party – depending on the moisture of the zucchini, and the freshness of the blueberries – I have had to sometimes back for another 10-12 minutes until the cake tester came out clean.
The hardest part now is waiting for the darn bread to cool. You need to let it rest in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then flip it out and let it cool some more. If you cut it too early the whole thing will just fall apart……learned that one the hard way.
It is worth the wait, I promise!
Cut it while it is still warm, and enjoy with your favorite morning beverage.
Drop me a comment and let me know if you try it and what you thought.
Happy Baking!
XOXO,
Kari aka Tiger Lily
