Vegan Zucchini Bread

5 from 26 votes

Easy, fluffy, super yum and wholesome Vegan Zucchini Bread. The batter is perfectly spiced and loaded with shredded zucchini, golden raisins and walnuts. It makes the perfect snack, breakfast or even dessert!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 25 mins

Course: Baked Goods, Breakfast, Cake

Cuisine: vegan

Servings: slices

Calories: 286kcal

Author: Melanie McDonald

Equipment

Ingredients

1¼ packed cups / 250 g grated zucchini (courgette) , about 2 small or 1 medium zucchini
2 cups / 250 g flour , spelt flour, all purpose flour (plain in the UK), or wholewheat flour all work well
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda , (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
¾ cup / 150 g sugar , plus a little more for sprinkling on the top. White granulated, cane sugar, turbinado sugar, coconut sugar or light brown sugar are all fine to use
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed , (it must be ground and not whole seeds)
½ cup + 2 tablespoons / 150 mls unsweetened plant milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup / 60 mls liquid oil of choice , avocado oil, sunflower, vegetable, light olive oil or melted but cool coconut oil are all ok to use. See recipe notes for oil-free option.
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar , or lemon juice (important - do not omit)
½ cup / 80 g golden raisins
½ cup / 65 g chopped walnuts or pecans , plus more for sprinkling on the top. (omit to make nut-free)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and grease and line a loaf pan.
Grate the zucchini and set aside. I use the grating attachment on my food processor but you can do it manually if you don't have one.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground flax seed to a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add the grated zucchini, plant milk, vanilla extract, oil and apple cider vinegar to another bowl and stir them together.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir together with a spatula until just combined. It's a really stiff batter, and it will feel and look too dry, but be patient and it will come together as the zucchini lets out it's moisture while you stir.
Add the nuts and raisins to the batter and stir gently once more to combine.
Spoon into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle on a generous amount of sugar and some more nuts (optional but gives a lovely crusty, textured top), and bake for about 70 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. It does take longer than your average quick bread because the zucchini adds so much moistness.
Once cooked through, remove from the oven and leave for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. It is very fragile while warm so be gentle. It will firm up as it cools.

Video

Notes

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

Storage

Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack prior to stashing it away. Then, keep it in an air tight container with a layer of kitchen paper on the bottom and on top to suck up any moisture. Or alternatively wrap it well in plastic wrap or foil. It should keep well and perfectly moist for up to 5 days. You can extend this time by refrigerating it.

Freezing

Uncut loaves freeze very well for up to 3 months, so if you have extra zucchini, make a few extra loaves and freeze them for later. Allow to cool completely then wrap very well, before placing carefully in the freezer. Leave to defrost overnight when you want to eat it. You can also slice the loaf and freeze it either all together or as individual slices. Slices defrost really quickly so you can pull them out an hour or two before you want them.

Make it oil-free

To make the bread oil-free, use ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of drippy nut butter instead of the oil. Cashew butter or almond butter will work best flavour-wise. You might need to add an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of plant milk though to make up for it's thickness. Don't add too much more than that as the zucchini naturally lets out it's moisture while baking and your loaf will end up too wet. The batter is supposed to be very, very, thick and will loosen as the zucchini lets out it's moisture.

Make it gluten-free

Make this recipe gluten-free by using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour or similar.

Success tips

Follow the recipe closely and as always with recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you use a kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best and consistent results. Digital kitchen scales are available at most big superstores now and you can pick one up for around $10. They are a great investment and are so worth having! If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. By doing it like this you will get roughly the correct amount and make your chances of success better. Do not scoop the flour up into the cup as you will end up with much more than intended and it will affect the outcome of the recipe.
The batter is very thick and difficult to stir. Don't be tempted to add more milk. The zucchini will release moisture and ensure your loaf will be perfect and not dry.
Do not over mix the batter. As with all cakes, the more you mix, the more you activate the gluten in the flour which really affects the texture and rise of the finished bread.
Even if your loaf pan is non stick, I recommend lining the bottom of it with a strip of parchment paper. One long strip that goes along the bottom and overhangs the ends is fine, then it can act as handles for you to easily lift the loaf out once it’s baked. I love USA Pan Loaf Pans.
How can you tell when it’s cooked properly? You can use the toothpick test. Stick it in the centre and if it comes out clean then its done. Or gently press down on the center of the loaf. If it bounces back completely, it is done. If your finger leaves a dent in the loaf it needs more time.
Don't turn the loaf out of the pan too soon. It needs time to settle a little as it can be quite fragile when hot. Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes before turning out carefully onto a wire rack and removing the strip of baking parchment.
Let the loaf cool completely before you cut it. I know it’s tempting to break into it when it’s still warm, but if you let all of the steam inside escape, you will affect the quality of the crumb and it won’t keep as well.

Nutrition