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Chai Zucchini Quick Bread is an unexpected treat
If you live where it gets hot in the summertime, and if you have a veggie garden, you have zucchini. LOTS of zucchini. By August you might be wondering whatever possessed you to put in a half dozen zucchini plants back in May. What were you thinking? Maybe you were thinking about Chai Zucchini Quick Bread?
Zucchini is a gift
It really is – even if you have too many all at once. There are a lot of things you can do with zucchini to make tasty meals.
- Lemon Garlic Zucchini
- Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Zucchi
- Spicy Zucchini “Fries”
- Creamy Vegan Zucchini Dill Soup
Even just by itself, sauteed up with salt and pepper, the mighty zuke is pretty tasty to most people. But wait! There’s more!
Chai Zucchini Quick Bread ain’t your grandma’s zucchini bread
I’m not saying your grandma doesn’t or didn’t make fantastic zucchini bread – maybe she did. And though I loved my grandmas, I did not love their zucchini bread. Kind of ‘meh’ if I’m being honest. No one is going to say meh when they eat a slice of this!
How can I make sure my zucchini bread isn’t bland?
Zucchini is going to add some nice moisture to a quick bread, and some texture and fiber, but not much flavor. You have to add that yourself. Most zucchini bread has some cinnamon in it, but we are going to go quite far beyond that and add the luscious flavors of chai tea.
Chai is some tasty stuff
Chai tea starts with black tea leaves and then adds a combination of other spices. Typically this includes ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. This Chai Zucchini Bread contains all of those flavors, plus deep brown sugar notes and vanilla.
And because I can, and because I want every bit of flavor I can squeeze in here, I added some freshly grated ginger and lemon zest. I admit, it makes a long list of ingredients, but chances are you already have most of them right in your pantry and fridge.
Use good zucchini
One of the problems with zucchini bread is that old or oversized zucchinis are often used. If you have oversized zucchinis, I suggest removing the seeds and the mealy bits around the seeds before grating.
Actually, I suggest feeding them to the chickens and going back to the garden for a younger, fresher zucchini, but I realize that not everyone is blessed with lots of zucchini. Use the best ones you can get.
Don’t drain or squeeze the zucchini
Some recipes call for getting the excess moisture out of the zucchini, so that the bread isn’t too moist. Here, zucchini makes up the bulk of our wet ingredients, so leave it in.
Why I use stainless steel baking pans
At one time, I used non-stick bakeware for everything. The main reason I have switched to stainless steel is that I feel it is a safe material to come in contact with food. All non-stick pans contain forever chemicals and the older the pans get, the more likely they are to be leaching who-knows-what into our zucchini bread.
Stainless steel baking pans are not that hard to find, and they clean up very nicely. Keeping them very clean helps them to stay nearly non-stick. I usually line them with a bit of parchment paper, cut to size. I have to admit, I am kind of rethinking the parchment paper thing these days because of the silicone. Still, we have to make the best choices that we can.
How to make Chai Zucchini Bread
Chai Zucchini Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely ground back tea [see notes]
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º, and generously butter two 8x5 inch loaf pans. I also line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, cut to fit, and butter that as well - just a little extra insurance that it doesn't stick.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, pepper and ground tea. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the zucchini, brown sugar and honey.
- Add the eggs and mix well.
- Add the oil, vanilla, ginger and lemon zest and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the flour mixture, and fold together until mostly combined. It is ok if there are a few spots of flour showing - you want a shaggy batter, not smooth.
- Add the nuts and mix to distribute evenly.
- Divide evenly between the two loaf pans, and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Chai Zucchini Quick Bread keeps well
In the refrigerator, this bread will stay very fresh for up to a week. I suggest reheating slices gently in a toaster oven or regular toaster for serving. And as is the case with nearly anything containing flour, reheating in the microwave is a no-no. Chai Zucchini Quick Bread will get mushy and soggy in the microwave. You can bring it out of the refrigerator for an hour or so to serve it at room temperature.
Serve warm or cool
As it says in the recipe, above, this is fine at room temperature for a day – in fact, the flavor improves as the spices have a chance to bloom a bit more. It is fantastic toasted with butter or cream cheese, or as the bread for a peanut butter and banana sandwich maybe?
Chai Zucchini Quick Bread freezes well
Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil for freezing. It will keep for several months – maybe until you’re looking for something special for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
As noted in the comments, the recipe originally appeared on my old blog. It has been updated several times here on Creekside.
Leftover Candy Cane Brownies
Orzo Stuffed Zucchini
Rainbow Veggie Slaw
Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
Butternut Sausage Soup
Irish Soda Bread
Blueberry Lime Crisp
Orange Coconut Slices
Rhubarb Kuchen
Quick Pickled Radishes
A great flavour combo!
Thanks HBM!
Did you know, one can basically do the same thing with cucumbers?
Yep it’s true, I tried it, and it was one of the best short breads I have ever made as far as taste. Mind you, I am no baker, or cook for that matter, I happen to be a carpenter, so, even if you just have basic skills like I do, cucumbers are great ingredient change of pace when in season and you are overrun with them. It’s fairly common in my native country. And this bread with zucchini was very good!
Thanks Lin – I appreciate this idea. I might give this a try.
Zucchini is one of my gardening success stories 🙂 It is so funny how you can end up with a giant one, that has been hidden!
I have never tried Zucchini bread, but when I have a surplus I will be sure to use your recipe, probably with the addition of citrus as you suggested.
I hope you do GG – and congrats on the crop of zukes!
OMG! We had SO many gi-hugic squashes this year!! I’m sure I can still find one big enough for this recipe! Thank you!!
You’re welcome Aggie – I hope you love the bread 🙂
Love to bake and cook.In middle of my cookbook but always looking and loving others cooks and different recipes.
So i’m recreaturing all new recipes and old ones passed down from my great grandmother and now sharing it with my grand children.
Welcome Maria and best of luck with your project!
You’re right that too much zucchini bread tastes sweet, and only sweet – that’s its basic flavor. This looks like such an interesting recipe, one with actual flavor. Good stuff – thanks.
Thanks John – hope you give it a try!
I like to shred zucchini and store that in the freezer so I can make the bread in the winter. Takes up a lot less room than the bread itself. Interesting additions in your recipe; bet they make this bread extra-special.
Oh yes Kathleen – that works really well!
I must agree…there is nothing like a cup of tea in the afternoon. What a great excuse to slow down and savor the small moments in life. This bread looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing. What a delicious way to end my weekend and start my week.
Thanks Monet!
We’re lucky to live very close to the school (drive like 5 minutes). We usually have 30-60 minutes before heading out again for activities, so we do have some “snack time” or “tea time” for me. That’s probably the only time for us to kind of not doing anything. It helps us to rejuvenate! Of course that’s my 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee/tea of the day. I’d love this bread for the 3 pm tea time. 🙂 I’ve made zucchini muffins before and kids loved it. Next time should be this bread!
Thanks Nami – I hope you all enjoy it!
I love this, Donalyn!
Thanks Jen!
Hi, I found this link from your old recipe on the DLYN website. Do you have the chai zucchini bread recipe with the orange zest and brewed black tea posted elsewhere or did you end up liking this new recipe even better? 🙂
Thank you!
Jennifer – that is certainly possible – I did a lot of riffing on that old blog, and not as much testing a I do with recipes here. And you could add orange instead of lemon zest to this recipe and it would be great.
I came back to this recipe to make it again and thought I would comment and let others know how delicious it is. It’s the only zucchini I make now.
Janet, thanks so much for your kind words – I really appreciate it when reader rate my recipes!
Hallelujah! I needed this-you’re my savior.
Thanks lu – glad I could help!
I made this last week, so I’m coming back to say what a wonderful recipe this is. It’s rich and moist and really does taste like chai. My new favorite I think.
Arriane – thanks so much for coming back to say so!
This zucchini bread is the best version we have ever made. I’m so glad you had this idea! Thanks, Creekside Cook!
I tried this recipe last night and we had it for breakfast this morning. Really really good! Do you think it would work with other kinds of summer squash, like yellow squash or patty pans? We always have tons of both of those! Let me know what you think.
Hi Martins – you can definitely use other kinds of summer squash – the result will be just as good. Thanks for asking! ♥