Hearty Zucchini Quick Bread | Yankee Recipe Archives (1984)

We’re nearing the end of summer here in New England, and that means we’re willing to bet that you, a family member, or close friend (or all three) is currently feeling the pressure to do something (anything) with the mountain of zucchini spilling out of the garden. Thankfully, there are solutions. We love zucchini for its versatility. With minimal effort, the sturdy green veggie tastes great tossed into a stir-fry, shaped into zucchini fritters, or hollowed, stuffed, and baked. But for all of its savory adaptations, one the most popular ways to make good use of a bumper crop is by baking a warm, fragrant loaf of zucchini bread.

We found this hearty zucchini quick bread recipe in one of Yankee‘s many cookbooks produced during the 1980s. Titled The Best Recipes From New England Inns, the book was compiled and edited by Sandra J. Taylor, and was first published in 1984. Inside are submissions (as the title implies) by the many excellent country inns and bed and breakfasts in New England.

Popular at both breakfast and snack time, zucchini bread was a natural “country inn” inclusion. Similar staff favorites from this volume include Blueberry Quick Bread from The Darby Field Inn in Conway, New Hampshire and Corn Muffins from Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Like all good zucchini bread recipes, this one called for a healthy amount of fresh, shredded zucchini. Mixed into batter, zucchini (like carrot) lends moisture with just enough nutrition that you might find yourself mumbling, “Well, it must be a teeny bit good for me,” while you reach for a second slice.

This lovely bread baked up perfectly, with visible flecks of green from the zucchini and a hearty texture thanks to the inclusion of plump raisins and crunchy walnuts. If you like, you can swap the walnuts for pecans, the raisins for dried cranberries or cherries, or ditch the dried fruit altogether and use chocolate chips instead.

When I brought this loaf into the Yankee offices, it didn’t last long. Sweet and satisfying with just enough heft to feel like more than a snack, this zucchini bread is the perfect late summer treat. Why not make two and freeze one or give the second to a family member or friend? Are you a fan of zucchini bread? What’s the best addition – nuts, fruit, or chocolate?

GET THE RECIPE: Hearty Zucchini Bread

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