Orange Zucchini Bread
One bowl, one loaf pan, and a trick with the zucchini that takes two minutes and changes everything. Tender, bright with orange, and never soggy.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Box Grater
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Microplane or zester
- Two medium mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 medium oranges, zested
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups grated zucchini (from about 1 medium zucchini)
Instructions
- Prep the zucchini: Grate 1 medium zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with a pinch of salt and dump it into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you move on.
- Squeeze the zucchini: Grab handfuls and squeeze hard over the sink. You'll be shocked at how much water comes out. When you can't squeeze any more, set the zucchini aside on a paper towel.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Zest and juice your oranges: Zest two oranges into a small bowl — make sure you get just the orange part. Then cut them in half and squeeze out ¼ cup of juice.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth.
- Add the zucchini: Stir the squeezed zucchini into the wet mixture until it's evenly distributed.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes. Test with a toothpick at 50 minutes.
- Cool: Let the loaf rest in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.
Notes
Important: Do not skip salting and squeezing the zucchini — it removes excess moisture and prevents a soggy loaf. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to ensure clean cuts. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze slices for up to 3 months.