Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Here's a tasty recipe that the whole family will love, especially if you have an abundance of zucchinis growing in your garden. It's a homemade blueberry zucchini bread loaf that's packed with cozy spices and bursting with juicy blueberries. Made with lots of love, this recipe is perfect for August harvests and can be used year after year.

I love August recipes. I am absolutely still enjoying summertime and not ready to jump on the blogger bandwagon and skip straight to pumpkin spice and apple everything for another four weeks. You can expect yummy berry recipes and ways to use your abundance of the garden harvests for a few more weeks my friend! First one: this ultra moist blueberry zucchini bread!

I wanted to make a loaf that utilizes everyone's favorite summer fruit & veggie, that is ultra moist, but skips canola oil and apple sauce. Mainly because we never have those things in our house. And you really don't need them, my recipe is proof! I hope you enjoy it, friend.

Why you'll love this recipe:

• It is full of antioxidant-rich blueberries and freshly grated zucchini. How nice is it to have a baked treat ready to snack on in your home, that everyone loves, that isn't completely void of nutritional value once in a while. 😉
• It's got a perfect zucchini bread texture. Not too dense, and definitely not dry. Perfectly moist and made with butter instead of highly processed oils.
• No applesauce. We love applesauce in this house, but since my kids aren't babies anymore, we just rarely have it. I should probably change that and make it more often, my kids do love the stuff. Neverther less, one less thing to buy or make!

Tools:

• 9x5 metal loaf pan, Do not use a glass baking pan for a bread like this. Glass is thicker and than your metal bakeware, which means it's slower to reach your oven's interior temperature and slower to cook, and your inside may stay raw while your exterior is done.
• Grater for zucchini
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon & Whisk

Ingredients:

• 1 and ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ cup (113 grams) butter, unsalted, melted
• ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (60g) cream cheese or greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and ½ cups (180g) shredded zucchini 
• 1 cup (190g) fresh or frozen blueberries, if frozen, do not thaw. I have only tested this recipe with fresh berries.

Step by step, let's make it!

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C)
• Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some showing on the sides for easy removal. I also lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.
• Add your butter to a small sauce pan or to a microwave-safe bowl and melt on low until completely melted. Set aside to let cool.
• Grate zucchini and set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the cooled butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, cream cheese, and vanilla together until combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently stir or whisk until combined.
• Gently fold in zucchini first and any optional add-ins like chocolate chips.
• Gently fold in blueberries to prevent crushing them.
• Spread the thick batter evenly into your prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for 55-70 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours, checking for doneness every 5 minutes at the 55-minute mark. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I've never had to bake mine longer than 60 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool before removing from the pan.

Storing and handling:

• It's best to let this loaf cool completely, about two hours, before removing it from the pan and slicing into it.
• Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Freeze for up to 2 months, wrapped airtight.

Variation inspiration:

• Go ahead and throw in some dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips if you wish! In retrospect, I really wish I did.
• Add some fresh lemon zest or a fresh lemon glaze if you have some lemons and powdered sugar. It will be even more delectable!
• Add in other berries if you've got 'em. Blackberries and a couple of raspberries never hurt anyone.