Whole Grain Fluffy Flax and Zucchini Bread
Though I’m trying my best to space these bad boys out a bit, holy cow am I on a baking spree! As part of The Great Pantry Purge of 2015 I’ve been knee deep in whole grains, nuts, and dry goods galore so naturally, bakers gonna bake!
bake bake bake bake
Severe Banana Split Bread withdrawls led me to break out my loaf pan yet again and try something new. Well, sort of new. I took my Fluffy Flax Fruit and Veggie Bread recipe, a reader favorite from my days of food photography faux pas, and made a few tasty tweaks. Then I slathered each slice in soft, spreadable, sweet cream cinnamon butter because I’m a complete animal and it’s SO GOOD!
The combination of sweet, nutty zucchini bread with the buttery cinnamon flecked spread was positively fireworks-worthy. Good thing too, considering this was a delicious part of our 4th of July brunch.
God bless America.
You can even one-up the entire ordeal and make yourself a little jar of Stephie’s swoon-worthy Cinnamon Honey Butter which totally inspired my sweet spread pairing for this recipe. You should probably make her copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls too for good measure.
But first, zucchini bread! Let’s do this!
Whole Grain Fluffy Flax Zucchini Bread
Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 50 mins
Total time 1 hour 5 mins
Author: Jenn Laughlin Peas and Crayons Serves: 8-10 slices
Ingredients
- 1 large extra-ripe banana
- 1 ½ cups coarsely grated zucchini
- ¾ cup walnut halves and pieces, chopped
- 1 ¾ cup whole grain wheat flour
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon, extra to taste
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg or flax egg
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 TBSP applesauce
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- tools needed:
- 9x5 loaf pan
- extras:
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spritz a 9x5 loaf pan with oil or rub with butter, set aside.
- Place your banana in a microwave safe bowl, covered and heat for 3-4 minutes on high.
- Tilt bowl to the side to pour out any liquid that may have separated, mash with a fork, then set aside to cool.
- Grate your zucchini, pat dry if extra watery, and add to the banana bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, flax, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Next whisk in your butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Pour zucchini mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined.
- Gently fold in walnuts and pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Smooth the top with your spatula and add chopped walnuts to the top of the loaf if you're feeling fancy. Feeling EXTRA fancy? Chocolate chips on top. Do it.
- Bake on center rack for 30 minutes, rotate pan, then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center of the loaf. Bake times may vary a smidge based on oven conditions so my rule of thumb is to always check baked goods a few minutes early and re-test as needed.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then gently remove and place onto a wire cooling rack to continue cooling. Enjoy warm or at room temperature, it's great both ways! Store tightly wrapped on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Slather each slice in cinnamon-sugar sprinkled spreadable butter and dive. on. in.
Notes Feel free to line your pan with parchment paper if you love a softer edge to your zucchini bread! I love it both ways!
No whole grain flour handy? This recipe will still work marvelously with regular all-purpose flour!
3.3.3070
t-rex chefs: use a large egg or give flax eggs a chance!
vegansaurus chefs: use your favorite vegan faux butter spread (like Earth Balance) for the cinnamon butter and use one flax or chia egg in the recipe. Easy peasy!
Slice, slather, and enjoy!
Of course the butter is gloriously optional, and since there’s none in the bread itself, you can totally justify the buttery topping, or healthify things even further by skipping it. Though Maybe you should add a little cinnamon to a teeny tiny little pad of softened butter for science’s sake. It really is great both ways!
Judging by the giant half bag of whole grain flour I still have in my possession, you can certainly count on a few more baked goods heading your way! If you’re lucky enough to live near me you can even count on a freshly baked batch on your door step. Though maybe only a few slices. Two. Two slices. I have zero self-control around a fresh baked loaf of zucchini bread!
Though I haven’t had the opportunity to test a gluten-free alternative for this bread, I plan on purchasing a medley of GF flours for the new house to bake with. I’m SO excited to venture into more gluten-free baking! Any tips? Leave me a comment!
Also, I apologize for the T-Swift reference in the beginning of the post.
Just shake it off.
Shake it off.
Hungry for more?
