Bread Machine Zucchini Bread

Somebody hands you a zucchini the size of a baseball bat. It happens every August. This is where that zucchini should go.

Zucchini bread is supposed to be easy, but to make it in a bread machine, you need a batter built for one. That took some testing. I found that too much moisture from the zucchini meant the middle stayed wet. And with too little fat, I was reaching for a glass of milk halfway through the slice.

When I finally got it, it shocked me. Light and soft, springy in a way I wasn't expecting from a bread machine quick bread. My kids won't touch anything with a vegetable hiding in it. They inhaled this. My daughter asked if it counted toward her vegetables for the day. I told her, sure. Close enough.

If you've made my Bread Machine Pumpkin Bread, think of this as its summer cousin

Getting the Bread Machine Setting Right 

If you've never made anything other than a yeast bread in your bread machine, this part may feel confusing. You want the quick bread, cake, or batter setting. Not the basic white bread cycle, and not the dough cycle. (Which is what I use most often.)

Every brand names it a little differently. On a Zojirushi, it is the cake setting. (Which I find confusing, because we are making bread, not cake.)

Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach usually label it quick bread. (But your specific model may be different) Oster and West Bend often call it cake or quick. If you still aren't sure, I recommend referring to your manual. Find the cycle that mixes and bakes but does not rise. And if your machine has a medium crust option, that did best in my testing.

How to Prep the Zucchini

Grate it on the large holes of a box grater. You can also use a food processor, which is what I do to save time. You don't need to peel it, but you can if you want.

How you squeeze the zucchini matters more than you would think it would. Pile the grated zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and wring out the dripping excess. But leave some moisture behind. Don't wring it bone dry. Bread machines bake hot and long. Over-squeezed zucchini is the fastest road to a dry loaf. You want damp, not soaking. Wrung-out sponge, not desert.

August zucchini runs watery. If yours is dripping, give it a firmer squeeze. A young, firm zucchini will not need much.

When to Add the Zucchini

One of the quickest ways to ruin this loaf is to add the zucchini, walnuts, and chocolate chips at the beginning. Make sure you wait until your machine beeps that it is time.

Waiting for the mix-ins signal is important, because if you add everything before there is a thick batter, it will sink to the bottom. Waiting for the beep means there will be a thick batter for them to be suspended in.

One more easy thing I find helpful with any bread machine quick bread.  About a minute into mixing, lift the lid and scrape the sides and corners with a silicone spatula. There will likely be dry pockets of flour in the corners.

Determining Doneness

You are going to want to have an instant-read thermometer or toothpick handy to determine doneness. You want a clean toothpick, or 205 to 210°F in the middle.

This machine was perfectly cooked in my Zojirushi bread machine.

But bread machines can vary a lot, especially on quick bread cycles.

Not there yet? Most machines let you tack on bake time. If yours doesn't, lift the pan out and finish the loaf in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (Make sure your pan is oven safe; if it isn’t, carefully transfer to a baking sheet.)

When it's done, use oven mitts and pull the pan out of the machine right away. Careful! I've burnt myself more times than I'd like to admit. It is kinda my specialty.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to finish cooling. Slicing too soon will make the center gummy. The cooling time is actually part of the cooking process. I know it's hard. Wait anyway.

Troubleshooting

It sank in the middle. Sinking means you had too much moisture. Squeeze a little more moisture next time.

It's gummy or dense. Almost always the wrong setting. If you used the basic bread cycle, it kneaded and rose the batter like a yeast dough. Switch to quick bread, cake, or batter.

The top is pale. Normal. Machines don't brown the top the way an oven does. You can leave the loaf on keep-warm for 5 minutes after baking. Alternatively, brush the top with a little melted butter and slide it under the broiler for 90 seconds. Watch it closely. Ninety seconds, not more.

There's a hole in the bottom. Also normal. That's where the kneading paddle sits, and every bread machine loaf has one.

1.5 lb or 2 lb machine?

This loaf is sized for a 1.5 lb machine, but you can use a larger one with no adjustments to the recipe.

Storing and Freezing

You can keep this zucchini bread (wrapped) at room temperature, for about 4 days. I was surprised at how moist it was on day two!

To freeze, slice the loaf first. Lay the slices on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze until solid. Then move them to a freezer bag to store for up to 3 months. Grab a slice whenever you want one. It thaws on the counter in about an hour, or 20 seconds in the microwave.