Carrot-Zucchini Bread with Candied Ginger
by Laura Frerichs, Tastemaker in Residence
photo by mae-mu
This is an excellent quick bread! The addition of candied ginger gives it an addictive quality—you have been warned. It is fairly sweet. Sweet enough that we felt like it could easily be made into cupcakes with cream cheese or coconut frosting for a fun birthday or weekend treat. Or decrease the amount of sugar for a less sweet bread. Wrap and freeze the second loaf if you aren’t going to eat it within a day or two.
Makes two 8-inch loaves
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, oil, or butter, for preparing the pan
3 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour (we didn’t sift the flour—it turned out fine)
1 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1⁄2 cup diced candied ginger
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil (we used olive oil and it was fine)
1 3⁄4 cups sugar (decrease if you want a less sweet bread)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
1 cup zucchini, grated on the large holes of a box grater
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat two 8 1⁄2 by 4 1⁄2 by 2 3⁄4-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift (or mix) together the sifted flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in the salt and candied ginger. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until light and foamy. Add the oil, sugar, and vanilla, whisking vigorously until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the carrots and zucchini. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture all at once and stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.
Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans. Baked until the breads are well risen and firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pans on a roack for 10 minutes, then invert and finish cooling right side up on the rack.
Cook’s Note
Adapted from the cook book: Sur La Table: Eating Local by Janet Fletcher