Flavorful Spice Cake Zucchini Bread

I never thought much about zucchini bread until my garden decided to give me more zucchini than I knew what to do with. Growing up, my mom would make the classic version, and while it was good, it always felt like something was missing.

That’s when I started playing around with different spices in my kitchen. Adding warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of cloves turned that everyday zucchini bread into something that made my house smell like fall. It’s the kind of recipe that helps you sneak vegetables into breakfast without anyone being the wiser.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

When it comes to picking zucchini for bread, medium-sized ones (about 6-8 inches long) are your best bet. These younger, smaller zucchini have fewer seeds and less water content than their larger counterparts, which helps prevent your bread from becoming soggy. You don’t need to peel them – the skin is tender and adds nice little green flecks to your bread. Before shredding, give your zucchini a quick pat with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, but don’t squeeze it too dry since some of that moisture helps keep your bread nice and moist. If you’re growing your own zucchini or shopping at a farmers market in summer, this is a perfect way to use up those fresh-picked ones!

Options for Substitutions

This zucchini bread recipe is super adaptable and works well with several substitutions:

• Cake Mix: While spice cake mix gives the best flavor, you can use yellow cake mix and add 2 extra teaspoons of cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger. Gluten-free cake mix works great too – just follow the box instructions for any extra ingredients needed.
• Vegetable Oil: Feel free to swap the vegetable oil with melted coconut oil, canola oil, or even unsweetened applesauce (use equal amounts) for a lighter version. If using applesauce, the bread might be slightly more dense.
• Zucchini: Yellow summer squash works just as well as zucchini. Just make sure to drain excess moisture from either vegetable before adding to the batter.
• Milk: Any type of milk works here – dairy, almond, soy, or even water. The liquid mainly helps with moisture, so pick what works for your dietary needs.
• Mix-ins: The optional add-ins are totally up to you! Try dried fruit, different types of chips, or chopped nuts. You can even skip them completely – the bread will still taste great.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making zucchini bread is dealing with excess moisture – make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from your shredded zucchini using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, otherwise your bread might end up gummy in the middle.

Another common mistake is overmixing the batter; once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients, stir just until everything is incorporated, as too much mixing can lead to a dense, tough loaf.

Temperature control is crucial – if your oven runs hot, the outside might brown too quickly while the inside stays raw, so use an oven thermometer and check for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center (it should come out with just a few moist crumbs).

For the best texture, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, and wait until it’s completely cool before slicing – cutting into warm zucchini bread can make it compress and become dense.

What to Serve With Zucchini Bread?

This moist zucchini bread makes a wonderful breakfast or afternoon snack, and there are lots of tasty ways to enjoy it! Spread a warm slice with some softened butter or cream cheese – both options are totally delicious and bring out the spice cake flavors. For breakfast, serve it alongside your morning coffee or tea, maybe with some fresh fruit on the side for a well-rounded start to your day. If you’re hosting friends for coffee, try cutting the bread into smaller squares and serving it on a platter with some whipped butter and a drizzle of honey – it’s simple but always hits the spot.

Storage Instructions

Counter Storage: This zucchini bread stays fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days when wrapped well in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. I like to place a paper towel in the container to absorb any extra moisture from the zucchini, which helps keep the bread from getting too moist.

Refrigerate: Want your bread to last longer? Pop it in the fridge in an airtight container, and it’ll stay good for up to a week. The cool temperature helps preserve the moisture from the zucchini without making the bread soggy.

Freeze: This bread freezes really well! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can even slice it before freezing – just put some parchment paper between the slices so they don’t stick together. That way, you can grab one piece at a time whenever you’re craving a slice!

Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen zucchini bread, just let it thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on the counter. If you want it warm, give it a quick 10-second zap in the microwave or toast it lightly.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	45-50 minutes
Total Time	55-65 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 30-35 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 250-270 g

Ingredients

• 1 box betty crocker super moist spice cake mix or yellow cake mix (gluten-free alternatives available)
• 2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk or water
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (unpeeled, 2-3 medium)
• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
• Optional: 1/2 cup each of peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Pans and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Spray just the bottoms of two 8×4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

If you prefer to make muffins instead of loaves, you can either line your muffin tin with paper liners or spray the cups with cooking spray.

Step 2: Mix the Batter

• 1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Spice Cake Mix or Yellow Cake Mix (gluten-free alternatives available)
• 2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk or water
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (unpeeled, 2-3 medium)
• optional: 1/2 cup each of peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, vegetable oil, milk or water, eggs, and vanilla or almond extract.

Mix until well blended and smooth.

Add the shredded zucchini and stir until it is evenly distributed throughout the batter.

If you want to add more flavor or texture, you can fold in any optional mix-ins now, like chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or dried cranberries.

I like to add a handful of walnuts for a satisfying crunch.

Step 3: Fill Pans and Bake

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared loaf pans, or fill muffin cups if making muffins.

For loaves, bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

For muffins, bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes.

Keep an eye on your cakes or muffins near the end of baking — ovens can sometimes run hot or cool.

Step 4: Cool and Remove from Pans

Let the cakes or muffins cool in the pans for 10 minutes.

Then carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Allow them to cool completely, which should take about 1 hour.

I always let my zucchini bread cool fully before wrapping so it doesn’t get soggy.

Step 5: Store or Freeze

Once completely cooled, wrap the bread or muffins tightly in plastic.

Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

To freeze, I like to double wrap in plastic and place in a freezer bag — this keeps them fresh for up to 3 months.

To thaw, remove from the freezer bag and let them come to room temperature before unwrapping.

Absorb any moisture with paper towels if needed, and warm briefly in the oven or microwave if desired.