Grammy J's Zucchini Bread Recipe | CC and Mike | Design Blog (2024)

FAQs

Why is my zucchini bread batter so dry? ›

Try mixing more gently, using rubber spatula to fold wet/dry ingredients without over-mixing. Why does my zucchini bread come out dry? This is usually due to either not measuring ingredients carefully or over-baking the bread.

Have you ever made zucchini bread and it turned out dense and wet in the center? It's likely that too much liquid was added to the batter. I've tested dozens of zucchini bread recipes and, depending on the other ingredients involved, it's sometimes necessary to squeeze the excess liquid from the shredded zucchini.

Quick bread like zucchini bread and banana bread often come out of the oven with a big crack down the center of the top of the bread. Don't panic! This is a good thing! Quick breads crack as steam from the bread escapes from the center.

As the bread or cake cooks, those air bubbles make it rise, but because they are unstable, the bread or cake then collapses as it sits. Try mixing with a gentler touch: use medium, not high, speed on the electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly in between each addition.

Too much baking soda or baking powder can mess up a recipe, causing it to rise uncontrollably and taste terrible.

Transfer the breaded zucchini onto a baking sheet or large plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. This will allow the breadcrumbs to really stick to the zucchini.

If it is too thick, add another egg. Add nuts, if desired. Lightly grease and flour your bread pans, or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully spoon the mixture into bread pans, stopping when the mixture is about 3/4 of the way to the top.

But unless your zucchini is excessively juicy, squeezing the squash could be removing some of the moisture you really do want in the bread. It's up to you, though. Squeeze for lighter, drier bread. Leave it as is for denser, moister bread.

Unless you have time to salt and drain the zucchini, wait to salt it until after they're cooked so the salt doesn't draw out the moisture in the oven—this can lead to sogginess. You can add other seasonings, such as dried herbs and spices, before cooking.

The most accurate way to test bread doneness is to use a digital thermometer like this. Gently insert the thermometer into the center of your loaf. For most bread recipes, you're looking for a temperature of at least 190° F.

Should you peel zucchini for zucchini bread? ›

Don't peel the zucchini – Yes, it's tempting to remove the zucchini's skin, but there is no need to do that. Zucchini melts into the bread, so peeling is just an unnecessary step. Do grate the zucchini – I don't know about you, but when it comes to zucchini in bread, I want it there – but I don't want to see it.

Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees for glass pans. Be sure there isn't too much liquid in your ingredients. Squeeze excess water from zucchini in several changes of paper towels.

Zucchini bread will keep for about one week stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container (or plastic bag). As stated above, the absolute safest way to store zucchini bread is in the refrigerator. Some zucchini bread recipes make a very moist (and sometimes wet) zucchini bread.

Generally, bread sticking to the pan is caused by one of two things: the coating in the pan or the temperature the bread was baked. Bread baked too hot will turn out gummy and dense, and will not have that perfect spring you are looking for.

The best way to grate zucchini is whatever is fastest. If you're grating a lot of zucchini (more than two at a time), we recommend grabbing a food processor with a grating attachment. For smaller amounts, a box grater usually does the trick.

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

By sprinkling the cut vegetable with salt and letting it stand in a colander over the sink, water will drip out, leaving behind a firmer vegetable. The zucchini can then be more easily sauteed or roasted to bring out its natural sugars and, hence, flavor.

I remove the bread from the pan, and wrap it in plastic while it is still hot. Then refrigerate (or freeze) it until cooled. Your bread will be extra moist and the crust will be nice and soft. Don't slice zucchini bread until you're ready to enjoy it; slicing will allow the bread to dry out quicker.

After all, zucchini and cucumbers are real summer vegetables. The plants feel weird about wetness and will shed some fruits while they wait for summer weather. If you don't water your plants enough, your fruits won't get enough moisture. So, they'll shrivel up and fall off.