01 -
First things first, grab your zucchini and grate it up. Then, and this is super important, grab a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze out all that extra water. Trust me, you want it as dry as possible for the best texture. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together your flour, erythritol blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed; this is where I sometimes rush and end up with a pocket of salt, oops!
02 -
In a separate medium bowl, crack your eggs. Give them a quick whisk, then pour in your vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk it all together until it’s nice and smooth. You’ll see it start to lighten in color a bit. This step is pretty straightforward, but don't overmix; we're just aiming for combined here. It should smell wonderfully sweet and eggy, getting ready for the next step. I once used olive oil by mistake, and let's just say that was an interesting flavor profile.
03 -
Now for the magic! Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until *just* combined. You don't want to overmix, or your bread will be tough – we're aiming for tender! A few streaks of flour are totally fine. Then, fold in your squeezed zucchini and the optional chopped walnuts. The batter will be thick and speckled with green and brown, smelling absolutely divine!
04 -
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. I always give the pan a little tap on the counter to settle the batter and release any air bubbles. Pop it into your preheated oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes. Every oven is a little different, so keep an eye on it. The kitchen will start to smell incredible, that's your cue! A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. If it's still a bit gooey, give it another 5-10 minutes.
05 -
Once it's done, pull that beautiful loaf out of the oven. Don't slice it right away, I know it's tempting! Let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. This helps it set up and prevents it from falling apart when you try to remove it. Then, carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This part always tests my patience, but a fully cooled loaf slices so much better, honestly.
06 -
Once it's completely cooled (or mostly cooled, if you're like me and can't wait), slice into thick, generous pieces. The crust will be golden brown, the inside moist and tender, flecked with green zucchini and walnuts. It should smell sweet and spicy, a real treat for the senses. It’s truly satisfying to see how something so simple can turn into such a lovely, healthier indulgence. My family always gathers around when they smell it cooling, ready for a slice!