Homestyle Zucchini Banana Bread

If you love zucchini bread and love banana bread, why not combine the 2? I promise this is a melding of greatness you won't want to miss. This Homestyle Zucchini Banana Bread needs to make it on our baking schedule soon!

Why Make This Zucchini Bread?

This is a quick bread you are going to love. I can really get behind a zucchini and banana combo. The banana bread is really good on its own, but add in that zucchini and it is a whole never level.

It is simple to make. One of the best things about quick bread is they are quick to make. It takes some time to bake, but really the hands-on part of it is minimal.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pastry flour- I highly recommend this lower protein flour. It produces such a delicious tender baked good.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Butter
• Canola or other neutral oil
• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Brown sugar-you can also use granulated, coconut or even maple syrup if you prefer
• Egg
• Grated zucchini- squeeze to remove liquid
• Bananas
• Vanilla

How To Make The Zucchini Banana Bread

1. Start by grating your zucchini. I like to do this first, after it sits for a while, you will need to squeeze out the excess liquid.
2. Next, mix your dry ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Then in a medium-sized bowl, add your melted butter, oil, and brown sugar.
4. Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix again, this time only to combine.
5. Next, add in your flour mixture. Mix to combine.
6. Now, squeeze the zucchini to get rid of excess moisture. Add in the zucchini and mashed bananas.
7. Mix to combine.
8. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and into the oven.
9. Bake for about 50-60 minutes.
10. Remove the pan from the oven. Allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
11. You can dig right in if you like it warm, but I like mine to cool just slightly. I do this because it holds together better when it is cooled, but I also like the flavor better.
12. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!

Notes For Making This Zucchini Banana Bread

• It is really important to squeeze your zucchini before adding it to the bread. Zucchini has a lot of water in it and as this bakes, it leaks into the bread and can make it really heavy and mushy.
• I like to squeeze it after I have grated and let it sit for a few minutes. The zucchini will release some of that moisture, making it easy to squeeze out.
• Because this is a recipe that uses whole wheat flour, it is really important that you do not overbake or over-mix.
• Over-mixing will make your bread tough, and no one wants that in a quick bread. To avoid this, make sure you only mix to combine.
• Also, be careful not to overbake. Keep an eye on the bread and it will be awesome!
• Last, make sure and use ripe bananas. The flavor is more intense, which is what you will need to get the best banana flavor.

Baking With Whole Wheat Flour

• Many people have had bad experiences with whole wheat flour. Maybe you are one of them. Let me share a few things that will help you have amazing baked goods using whole wheat.
• The first is just to be mindful that you are using the right kind of wheat for the right bake. What I mean by this is every wheat flour has different levels of protein, among other things, this really has an effect on how the bake will turn out.
• For cakes, cookies, and quick bread like this, I love to use whole wheat pastry flour. It is a lower-protein flour that will produce a much more tender bake.
• Because it is lower in protein, you wouldn't use this for yeast bread, you would need something with higher protein.
• Another thing to remember is not to over-mix. This is always really important in quick bread, but even more important with whole wheat baked goods. They can go from perfect to tough if you aren't careful.
• Overbaking can also be an issue. There is a process called carry-over cooking that happens with all the food you cook and bake.
• What it is, is the residual heat in food will continue to cook it even after you remove it from the heat source. This is important to know with whole wheat baked goods, as whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture than regular flour.
• So, if you pull out this loaf when it is perfectly baked, it will continue to bake even after it is removed, and become overbaked.
• To solve this issue, I always like to pull my baked goods out a LITTLE early. They should be just slightly underbaked. Then after a few minutes of removing them, they are perfect!

Other Whole Wheat Baked Goods

• Pumpkin donuts with maple syrup
• Vegan Graham Crackers
• Layered Apple and Cinnamon Loaf
• Simple Pie Pops
• Multigrain Bread
• Fruit Pizza
• Strawberry Sugar Cokie Bars
• Simple Carrot Cake Cookies

• Quick Breads
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour