The transition from summer to fall is my FAVOURITE time of the year. The crisp air and gorgeous colours when the trees turn make me want to dive into a cozy knit sweater, throw on the slippers, steep some tea and crank up the oven to bake. Is anybody else with me? This Apple Zucchini Bread is perfect for those cozy fall days.
I’ve always been a baker, truly since I can remember. Granted, I wasn’t always a GOOD baker. Take the time that I baked a single loaf of bread that weighed 12 lb (we weighed it for the record). Or the time that I baked a pie that not even the dog would eat. Yes, my friends, it’s been a long journey with some hard lessons.
Now, there are a few things that I’ve learned along the way. For instance, don’t get impatient and try to rise bread with the oven on (apparently yeast isn’t fond of too much heat) – unless a 12 lb loaf of bread is what you’re aiming for? I’ve also learned to measure my ingredients properly, follow instructions, and to invest in good quality bakeware.
Let’s talk bakeware. Have you ever tried to take muffins out of an old tin and had them stick to the bottom, transforming them into only-muffin tops in the process of getting them out? I have. Or baked cookies on a baking sheet that you had to throw out after using (with the cookies still stuck to the pan)? I’ve done that too! The point is that quality really counts!
I recently partnered with Paderno [1] to create a mini recipe series using their bakeware, and was completely blown away! The first thing that I noticed was that the products are all designed in CANADA! It’s great to see products that are created in a way that better supports our local economy. The other thing that I quickly noticed about both the bakeware, and their cookware line of pots and pans, was the weight of the products: they didn’t mess around, it’s such good quality! The bakeware that I used to create the recipes is durable and professional quality with a stick-resistant textured base, which translates into a consistent, even baking and no sticking. They are also dishwasher safe which gets a high-five from every busy mom out there!
I used the Paderno Professional Loaf Pan [2] to make this lightly sweetened bread and it came out BEAUTIFULLY. Zucchini bread is a perfect way to use up that extra zucchini from the garden, and together with the apple, it makes this cake so moist! Note that the Paderno pans are larger than an average loaf pan; you may need to divide the batter between 2 smaller loaf pans if that’s what you have at home. Leave out the pecans if you want to make it lunch-friendly for the kids. You can even make it into muffins using the Paderno Professional Muffin Tin [2] and reduce the bake time to approximately 20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre).
If after this loaf you still have zucchini leftover I recommend trying this Vegan Zucchini Bread [3] or these Zucchini Bread Pancakes. [4]
This is the first of three recipes that I will be posting this week, I would love to hear your thoughts if you have a chance to try them!
Apple Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is a perfect way to use up that extra zucchini from the garden, and together with the apple, it makes this cake so moist!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup tightly packed grated zucchini (skin on)
- 1 ¼ cup tightly packed grated peeled apple (I used Granny Smith)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- ½ cup oil (ie. avocado, canola or olive oil)
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup toasted pecans (chopped)
- 3/4 cup sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- dash nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and flour the Paderno Professional loaf pan (or 2 smaller loaf pans: you can also line muffin tins with papers and make this into muffins).
-
Mix the wet ingredients together well in a medium bowl.
-
Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined.
-
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, folding with a rubber spatula until it is completely incorporated together.
-
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan(s) or tins and bake until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, approximately 40 minutes (the bake time will be less if you are dividing the batter between 2 pans or muffin tins: closer to 20 minutes for muffins).
-
Remove from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and invert it onto a baking rack, removing the loaf pan, to cool slightly before serving.
Thank you to Paderno [2] for sponsoring this post!
Photography by Mackenzie Jane Photo [6]