Bread Archives - The Rustic Heart

This Zucchini Bread is so good. You can make it plain or with a topping. Either way it is great. This is a really good treat to send with the kids for lunch. It’s a little sweet, but it has zucchini, nuts and a little bit of wheat germ to give them that healthy kick.

Ingredients

3 C Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 TBSP Cinnamon

3 Extra Large Eggs

1 C Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C Granulated (White) Sugar

1 C Light Brown Sugar

1 TBSP Vanilla

2 C Grated Zucchini, packed

1 C Chopped Walnuts (generous cup)

2 TBSP Wheat Germ

Topping

1/2 C Oats

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1/4 C Butter

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 C Flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325º. Grease 2 8×4 loaf pans or 6 mini loaf pans, or muffin pan

Grate the zucchini using a cheese grater. (you can leave the skin on or off, your choice) Squeeze out all the water you can from the zucchini. If there is a little left, it’s fine. Set aside

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon together. Mix and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the eggs, oil, vanilla, white and brown sugar. Stir to combine.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a little at a time, making sure that it is completely mixed before adding more flour. Once you finish adding the flour to the egg mixture, stir in the zucchini and the nuts.

Don’t over mix the batter. Just mix to combine the ingredients.

Pour the batter half way up into the baking pan.

Topping

Melt the butter. Add all the ingredients to the melted butter and distribute over the loaf pans.

Bake the mini loaf pans for approximately 40-50 minutes, the loaf pans approximately 50-60 minutes and the muffin pan approximately 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve plain or with cream cheese

This Easter bread is delicious and very easy to make. This recipe makes three good size loaves. You can put this out as a snack with your appetizers, with dinner or even with dessert. They are also a great gift to bring on Easter. I’ve been making this Easter bread for years, it just wouldn’t be Easter without it.

Ingredients

7 Cups Flour

1/2 Lb Butter, soft

1 1/4 Cup Sugar

2 Packages Dry Yeast (Rapid Rise Instant Yeast)

1 Cup Warm Water

5 Eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar

Hard Sprinkles

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the flour and butter together. When throughly combined, add the sugar.

Dissolve the yeast in 1 Cup of warm water. Add to the flour mixture. Add the eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing all the ingredients until a ball forms. This dough will be sticky.

Flour your work surface and kneed the dough adding small amounts of flour until a tight ball is formed.

Put the dough in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Return the dough to your work surface and kneed for a minute or two. You will see that now the dough is airy and much easier to work with.

Divide the ball of dough into three equal pieces. Shape one at a time into a long log, approximately 12 inches long by 4 inches wide (approximately) and put on a sheet pan.

Cut the dough into 3 pieces, leaving it connected at one end. Braid the pieces together and pinch the end so it looks the same at both ends.

Bake in a 350º oven for 35 minutes. Let cool on wire rack completely.

Once the bread is completely cooled, make a mixture of 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and 2 TBSP water. Brush the mixture on the bread and cover with the sprinkles.