It is inevitable, when one grows zucchini, that you will eventually have a surplus of this tasty fruit. One way to use it up is to grate the zucchini and bake it into these tasty loaves. The grated zucchini gives the perfect structure to hold the wild blueberries throughout a slice, and the addition of lemon juice and zest adds a taste of summer and brightness to this light loaf. I find that I prefer the fresh flavours of the fruit and so, choose to only add one cup of sugar. Try this recipe this summer and make it your own!
1cupgranulated sugaryou could use up to 2 cups of sugar if you prefer a sweet loaf.
1cupsafflower oilsubstitute canola or any light tasting oil.
2cupsfresh coarse grated zucchini
1wholelemon zested and then juiced (use 2 tablespoons of the strained juice and all of the lemon zest)strain the juice before adding to the loaf.
Dry ingredients:
3½cupsall-purpose flour
1tspsalt
1½tspbaking soda
4tspbaking powder
Fruit:
1cupwild blueberriesyou could use up to 1½ cups of wild blueberries. Domestic blueberries tend to sink to the bottom of this loaf so stick with the small wild blueberries.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and put the rack in the middle postion.
Butter the sides and bottoms of your loaf pans and then sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Tap out any excess flour.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on high for one minute. Add the sugar and then beat the mixture for an additional minute.
Add the oil, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat for 30 seconds.
Mix in the grated zucchini.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a large spoon or rubber spatula.
Fold in the wild blueberries.
Divide the batter between the two loaf pans.
Bake the loaves in the oven for 55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove the loaves from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the loaves and cool on a wire rack until cooled completely.
Notes
To serve this loaf as a dessert, make a lemon frosting and frost the loaves just prior to serving. Top with fresh blueberries.