Zucchini Bread with Maple butter

A moist zucchini bread made even better with Maple Butter spread on top!

Zucchini bread with Maple butter

2 cups seeded and grated fresh zuchini

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

-Grate and shred zucchini on a hand grater or in the food processor with the grating blade. Place in colander and squeeze gently, pressing down on the colander, to remove some of the moisture from the zucchini. Set aside.

-In a medium-sized bowl by hand or with an electric mixer, beat eggs until combined. Add oil and sugar and beat until mixture is smooth - about 3 minutes.

-Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla. Mix with egg mixture briefly. Add the zucchini and then the flour and mix together well, about 2 minutes. Stir in the nuts if using.

-Spray or oil 2 regular loaf pans. Pour half the butter into each prepared pan. Preheat oven toe 350 degrees. Add the pans of batter to the oven and cook at 350 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Continue cooking for another 45 - 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the bread, comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge to loosen the bread, then invert bread onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

-Slice and serve Zucchini bread plain, with the maple butter recipe below or with plain butter. Makes 2 loaves of bread. Wrap bread well and refrigerate after serving. Keeps up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Or wrap tightly in plastic warp or foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Maple Butter

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup (real maple syrup for best flavor)

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

-In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spices until well blended. Chill in the refrigerator, for about 30 minutes before using. Cover well to refrigerate left overs for up to 2 weeks or freeze for a later purpose at this point if desired.

Cool baked loaves on wire rack.

Moist, lightly spiced zucchini bread at its best with nuts (unless you are allergic!)

Maple Butter adds a bit of “umph” to this lightly spiced, so easy, quick bread!