Morning Person Zucchini Bread

Author Notes

Like its banana and pumpkin counterparts, zucchini bread is less like, well, bread, and more like cake—oily and sweet and white flour–based, all of which put it pretty low on my breakfast list. This recipe changes that. It's 100—yes, 100!—percent whole-wheat and chockfull of oats, walnuts, and raisins. Now we just need some coffee. —Emma Laperruque

Test Kitchen Notes

You can't go wrong with a foolproof zucchini bread, whether you have a slice in the morning or as the perfect on-the-go snack. We love the fact that it's not too sweet, and the texture is comforting and hearty. In her article, Emma expanded on what to focus on when making this zucchini bread. "Zucchini is almost entirely water. This means it’s an ultra-hydrating vegetable for summer, but also a tricky ingredient for baking. While a too-dry cake is—the worst thing in the world—unideal, a too-wet cake always seems underbaked. The workaround: After grating the zucchini, collect it in a kitchen towel, then wring it out. Then keep wringing it out. By getting rid of extra moisture, we can afford to add extra zucchini. Yay!" It takes a little bit of elbow grease, but not having a soggy bread at the end of the day makes the effort well worth it.

And for the best final outcome, it's important to find a specific type of flour: "Because zucchini bread already has so much moisture, it’s just right for thirsty whole-wheat flour. The only catch is, standard whole-wheat is deep-colored and nutty-flavored, both of which steal attention from our star vegetable. The solution: white whole-wheat flour. Which is not what it sounds like! White whole-wheat is just as nutrient-dense—bran, germ, endosperm, whole shebang—but is milled from white wheat berries instead of the standard red ones. This means a lighter color and subtler flavor." Be sure to seek out white whole-wheat before making this recipe if you can! —The Editors