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Grandpa George’s Easy Zucchini Bread (Zbread)

Grandpa George’s Easy Zucchini Bread recipe is tender, moist, and delicious. It’s a quick two-loaf recipe made with everyday ingredients that you’ll love.

A loaf of zucchini bread sitting on a cooling rack with a sliced loaf sitting next to it. A pad of butter and raw zucchinis sit to the side over parchment paper.

Grandpa George’s Easy Zucchini Bread recipe makes two loaves of tender moist zucchini bread using simple ingredients. Eat one now and freeze one when fresh zucchini is only a memory.

This Grandpa George’s Zbread (Zucchini Bread) recipe post is the definition of Hostess At Heart.

We value the stories that go with food and recipes about as much as we love eating it.

We also love recipes that use simple ingredients that are easy to find and delicious to eat!

Front view of a sliced loaf of Zucchini bread sitting on a wooden cutting board. A full loaf and raw zucchini sit in the background.

I was visiting our Farmer’s Markets when it was just getting started in the Spring. They didn’t have a lot of produce yet but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on what was available.

I was at one of the vendors and I heard this gentleman ask for zucchini. The answer was that it would be a couple more weeks yet.

Slices of zucchini bread with melted butter running off the front over a wooden cutting board.

As I was leaving I stopped this gentleman, now referred to as George, and asked what was his favorite way to use zucchini.

He told me that he’s spent some time perfecting a zucchini bread recipe using raw sugar instead of white granulated sugar.

Like me, he tries to use as few processed ingredients as possible. He went on to say that his family loves his homemade zucchini bread referred to as Grandpa’s “Zbread” but he hadn’t shared his recipe…yet. Intrigued? You bet.

Top angle view of a loaf of zucchini bread. A small white dish holding butter and a knife and two raw zucchini sit to the side.

Why bake bread with Zucchini?

Zucchini is a squash with a lot of water content that adds moisture to baked goods. It is tasteless in bread so even squash haters love this Easy Zucchini Bread.

Do you peel zucchini for Zucchini Bread?

No, you don’t have to peel the zucchini. The peel is tender in younger zucchinis. If the zucchini are large (over 13 inches), you may want to peel them and remove any seeds that feel hard.

This is how I prepared the zucchini for this Zucchini Bread Recipe.

  • Wash the zucchini and slice off the stem and any blemishes
  • Using a box grater, shred the zucchini against the large grater side and put it in a paper towel-lined bowl.
    • You don’t need to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini. Lightly pressing the zucchini is enough to remove excess moisture.
    • You can also use a spiralizer and then just chop the spirals into smaller pieces.

Homemade Zucchini Bread ingredients and variations

  • Fresh Zucchini
  • Eggs – I use large eggs for consistent results. Eggs add moisture and help bind the ingredients together
  • Vegetable oil – provides additional moisture. It also slows down the gluten formation allowing your bakery to be tender and fluffy.
    • 1 cup of applesauce or yogurt can be substituted for the oil.
    • Canola or other neutral oils can be used as well.
  • Sugar – George’s recipe uses sugar in the raw. Granulated sugar can ve substituted.
  • Flour – All-purpose Flour
    • You can use a combination of flour such as adding some wheat or other whole grain flour. This recipe hasn’t been tested using 100% whole grain flour, however.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Act as leaveners to help this bread rise in the oven
  • Cinnamon – A combination of spices work well in this Zucchini Bread recipe. Nutmeg is a favorite of ours.
  • Vanilla Extract – Imitation is fine in baking bread such as this one.
  • Salt – I use table salt or extra-fine sea salt when baking. It mixes and dissolved better than coarser salts.

Some other zucchini bread ingredient variations that you can make would be to add chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts.

Top angle view of a loaf of sliced zucchini bread. A small white dish holding butter and a knife and two raw zucchini sit to the side.d

How to make Easy Zucchini Bread

  1. Shred the zucchini.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
  3. Add the zucchini to the wet ingredients.
  4. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together.
    • Tip: Don’t beat or over stir the batter. This can keep the center of the bread from rising and appear sunken.
  6. Pour the batter into two 8×13″ prepared loaf pans.
  7. Bake

We love that this recipe makes two loaves of bread. They freeze beautifully so we eat one and freeze the other one. Who wouldn’t love a slice of this homemade zucchini bread with a hot bowl of our BEST chili?

If you like this recipe, here are a few more you’ll enjoy

We LOVE baking bread! You can find all of our bread recipes here!

I can’t tell you how honored that I feel that George trusted me to make and share his Homemade Zucchini Bread recipe.

Here’s my friend George and a couple more friends that I will be seeing a lot of this summer. Will you look at this lettuce! Yep, I took some home and it was amazing.

I’m sure that his family will cherish his recipe for years to come as much as we do.

Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!

An angled loaf of bread with two fresh zucchini's sitting in the back. A white dish with butter and an antique knife sit in the front. The title "Grandpa George's Easy Zucchini Bread" runs across the top.

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Top angle view of a loaf of zucchini bread with a white dish holding butter and a knife next to it. Raw zucchini sit next to the bread.

Grandpa George’s Easy Zucchini Bread Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart as developed by George Greene
Grandpa George's Easy Zucchini Bread Recipe is tender, moist, and delicious. It's a quick two-loaf recipe that you'll love.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Keyword: Zucchini Bread
Servings: 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups shredded fresh zucchini 2 7-8 inch zucchinis
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup raw sugar ground to the consistency of sand
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp real vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts optional
  • 1/2 cup raisins optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Skin zucchinis and remove any seeds that feel hard if you are using zucchini larger than 13 inches long. Remove liquid from zucchini by lightly pressing by hand between a paper towel.
  • Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil together.
  • In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Whisk to combine.
  • Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet mixture and until combined.
  • Prepare two 8-1/2×4 pans with non-stick method of your choice.
  • Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely on a cooking rack prior to slicing.

Notes

I actually used 3/4 cup of walnuts and raisins in the recipe as shown.  Calories don’t include optional walnuts or raisins.

Nutrition

Calories: 179kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 297mgPotassium: 129mgSugar: 17gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 3.7mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1.3mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

Pin this recipe before you go!

Two Photo Collage for Pinterest with the recipe title "Grandpa George's Easy Zucchini Bread" running between. The top photo is table view of a loaf of sliced zucchini Bread filled with raisins and walnuts sitting on a wooden cutting board. A loaf sits in the back next to fresh zucchini. The bottom photo is a top angle view of a loaf of zucchini bread sitting on a cooling rack next to a cut loaf on a wooden cutting board. Fresh zucchini sit in the background and a white dish of butter sits in the foreground next to an antique knife.

Recipe Rating




Sally T

Saturday 30th of May 2020

I love the grandpa George story:) He has the right to be proud of this bread! Who wouldn't love this??

The BEST Sweet & Savory Zucchini Recipes All in One Place!

Thursday 8th of August 2019

[…] Grandpa George’s ZBread – Hostess at Heart […]

Steve @ theblackpeppercorn

Saturday 1st of July 2017

I love zucchini bread. This looks so good and I love the pictures. :)

Julie Menghini

Monday 3rd of July 2017

Thank you, Steve!

Michele @ Bacon Fatte

Saturday 1st of July 2017

i absolutely love recipes with stories, too, Julie, and this one is a treasure for sure. The fact that it uses raw sugar alone makes it a winner in my book! Thanks for sharing!

Julie Menghini

Monday 3rd of July 2017

Thank you, Michele! I've never used raw sugar like this but it was so good that I'll be repeating the idea!

Justine

Thursday 29th of June 2017

I love when people are willing to share cherished recipes! This one looks phenomenal!

Julie Menghini

Friday 30th of June 2017

Thank you so much, Justine! I love sharing recipes and their stories too!

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