A gluten-free lightweight zucchini bread that is almost cake-like

Once the zucchini gets prolific (which is most of the summer), I find myself grinding up a huge bowl of it about once a week. Rather than the knuckle-scraping grater, I employ the food processor. So easy. So quick. The mountain of ground zucchini is destined for the freezer, but it beckons and charms to be put to use in the present. I usually pull out enough zucchini to try a new recipe, then freeze the rest.

This zucchini bread happened on one of those occasions. I found the recipe on Food.com (here) and apparently was developed at The Culinary Institute of America. Probably neither party would recognize my revised version. 🙂

The distinguishing mark of this bread is the texture, light and cake-like. Considering there is about half the oil of most zucchini bread recipes, this is not surprising. Increased oil does make for an increase in the heaviness of texture.

Even with gluten-free flour mix, this bread has great texture and slices beautifully, the sort of slices that make you run for your camera, the sort of slices that make you think perhaps you should be on TV. Well, maybe on TV, after you get the laundry off the line and close up the chickens so the mountain lions look elsewhere for their night snack. Maybe there is actually no time for TV this season!

For best baking results, all of these ingredients should be room temperature. If, like me, you store your gluten-free baking mix in the freezer, then you must plan ahead just a little. It is inconvenient, but no big deal.

Toast the walnuts in advance for more flavor or decide they have enough flavor as they are. Use dark raisins or those lovely golden raisins for a surprising color addition to the loaves. Bake the bread in two 8 1/2 inch loaf pans or in 4 or 6 smaller ones. If you choose to go with the smaller pans, watch the baking time — it is much quicker with the small loaves.

Gluten-free Zucchini Bread Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups gluten-free baking mix
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups ground zucchini
• 1 cup whole cane sugar
• 4 fresh eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins

Gluten-free Zucchini Bread Steps

1. Measure all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. This includes the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the raisins and stir to coat the raisins with flour.
2. In another large bowl measure and mix the zucchini, sugar, eggs, oil, zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just enough to ensure that all the dry ingredients are incorporated into the dough. Do not beat!
4. Fold in the walnuts.
5. Divide the dough between two greased bread pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. When the tops are brown begin checking for doneness. A toothpick inserted into the loaf should come out clean of dough.
7. Cool the loaves on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before removing from the bread pans.