Brown Sugar-Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
• Turbinado sugar or other crystallized brown sugar, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Stir the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. When cominbed, mix in the oats. Make a well in the center of the ingredients. Whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla together in a small bowl and pour the mixture into the well. Combine lightly, then stir in the zucchini. Do not overmix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, mounding it up in the center. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar if you wish. Bake for 60 or 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack covered with a clean dish towel to prevent indentations. Let the bread cool at least 10 minutes longer before slicing. The bread can be served warm or at room temperature. It keeps well and makes good toast, too.

Variation: Brown-Sugar Carrot Bread

Replace the zucchini with 2 cups grated carrot. Because the carrots are a little starchier, reduce the oats to 3/4 cup.