Zucchini Bread Recipe (Moist, One-Bowl, No Mixer)

Zucchini bread is a quick bread, so baking powder and baking soda do the rising and there is no yeast, no proofing, and no mixer involved. This version makes one loaf in one bowl, using oil and a mix of white and brown sugar for a soft, moist crumb that stays tender for days.

Quick answer: whisk 2 cups of flour with 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup of oil, and 2 cups of shredded zucchini, then bake in an 8×4-inch pan at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes. Let it cool before slicing.

Recipe at a Glance

• Makes: 1 loaf (8×4-inch pan), about 10 slices
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Bake: 55 to 65 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
• Cooling: 15 minutes in the pan, then at least 30 minutes on a rack
• Equipment: box grater, large bowl, whisk, spatula, 8×4-inch loaf pan, parchment paper

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (about 100 g) light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (about 240 g) shredded zucchini, lightly packed

That is roughly one medium-to-large zucchini. Weigh the shreds if you have a scale, since how tightly they are packed changes the measurement.

How to Make Easy Zucchini Bread

1. Prep the pan and oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides so you can lift the loaf out later.
2. Shred the zucchini. Use the large holes of a box grater and leave the skin on. Store-bought zucchini usually needs no squeezing. If the shreds look wet, press them in a clean towel until they stop running, but do not wring them dry.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, both sugars, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the zucchini.
5. Fold, don’t beat. Add the dry mixture and fold with a spatula until no dry flour remains. A few streaks are fine. Overmixing builds gluten and gives a tough, rubbery loaf.
6. Bake. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake 55 to 65 minutes, checking at 50. A toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, and an instant-read thermometer should read 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C). If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
7. Cool before slicing. Leave the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment onto a wire rack. Give it at least 30 more minutes. A hot loaf is still setting in the center, and slicing it too soon gives gummy, crumbly slices.

Do You Need to Squeeze the Zucchini?

Zucchini is roughly 95% water by weight. Left in the batter, that water bakes off slowly as steam and keeps the crumb tender, which is why most grocery-store zucchini goes in as is. Squeeze it only when the shreds are visibly wet: watery garden zucchini, shreds that sat in the fridge overnight, or frozen zucchini that has been thawed. Press the shreds in a towel until they stop running, and stop there. A fully wrung-out batch leaves the loaf drier than you want. The table in the Squeeze or Don’t guide breaks the decision down by type of zucchini.

Why This Loaf Stays Moist

• Oil instead of butter. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so the crumb feels softer on day two and three. Butter tastes richer but sets firmer once the loaf cools.
• Brown sugar. It holds moisture better than white sugar alone and adds a mild caramel note.
• Damp, not dry, zucchini. Some of the zucchini’s water turns to steam in the oven and the rest stays in the crumb, which is the opposite of what you want from a loaf that dries out.

A One-Loaf Zucchini Bread for a Small Kitchen

Many classic zucchini bread recipes make two loaves and call for around 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of oil. This one makes a single loaf with 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of oil, and keeps the one-bowl method. The equipment list is a box grater, a bowl, and a loaf pan, so it works in a small apartment kitchen. If you bake in a toaster oven, check that an 8×4 pan fits with room under the top element, or use mini loaf pans instead.

Pan Sizes and Bake Times

Always confirm with a toothpick or thermometer instead of relying on the clock, because ovens run hot or cool.

Zucchini Bread Variations

The base batter takes most add-ins without any other changes. Fold them in at the end, with the last streaks of flour.

Troubleshooting a Gummy, Sunken, or Dry Loaf

Gummy or wet center. Usually too much water in the zucchini, an underbaked loaf, or slicing while warm. Press out visibly wet shreds, check that the center reached 200°F, and wait for the loaf to cool.

Sunken middle. Opening the oven door in the first 30 minutes lets heat escape before the structure sets. Old baking powder or soda, or too much of either, can also cause it, so check the dates on both.

Dry or crumbly loaf. Overbaking is the usual cause, followed by too much flour from scooping the cup straight from the bag. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it, or weigh it.

Tough, rubbery crumb. The batter was overmixed. Fold only until the flour disappears.

Zucchini and chips sinking. A thin batter lets heavy add-ins drop. Skip any extra liquid and use the flour-toss trick for chips.

Choosing and Prepping Zucchini

Small to medium zucchini, about 6 to 8 inches long, have thinner skin and fewer seeds. If you only have an oversized one, halve it lengthwise and scrape out the seedy core with a spoon before shredding, because the core holds the most water and the least flavor. Leave the skin on at any size. It melts into the crumb and leaves a few green flecks.

Growing your own? Zucchini sprawls and wants a deep container, so it suits larger balconies better than tiny ones. The balcony vegetable guide suggests at least 40 cm (about 16 inches) of depth.

Storing and Freezing the Loaf

• Counter: 2 to 3 days, wrapped tightly or in an airtight container.
• Refrigerator: up to a week. Warm slices briefly before eating.
• Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw on the counter.

Cool the loaf completely before wrapping, or trapped condensation softens the crust. To freeze the shredded zucchini itself, pack it in 2-cup portions. When you are ready to bake, thaw it fully and press out the liquid that collects, since frozen zucchini releases much more water than fresh.

Zucchini Bread FAQ

Related Reading

• Zucchini Fritters: Crispy Skillet Recipe (Never Soggy)
• Zucchini Casserole Recipe (Easy, Cheesy & Customizable)
• Apartment Homesteading: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in a Small Space