Name: Cardamom–Spiced Zucchini Bread (Reduced Sugar)
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 10; Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients: 1½ pounds (680 grams) zucchini, shredded; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Sucanat (3½ ounces/99 grams), plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling; ¼ cup vegetable oil; 2 large eggs; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (2¾ ounces/78 grams) whole-wheat flour; 2 teaspoons ground cardamom; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¾ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Why This Recipe Works

We found that adding some aromatic, sweet-spicy cardamom complemented the zucchini's flavor without masking it. In typical recipes, the sugar helps to keep the zucchini's abundant moisture in check. Even after we had squeezed a full ⅔ cup of liquid from the grated zucchini and given the bread a long, 75-minute stint in the oven, the bread was inedibly soggy. We couldn't eliminate any more moisture, so instead we added a small amount of whole-wheat flour. The higher-protein flour easily soaked up some of the liquid, giving the bread a much better structure. As an added bonus, the wheat flour contributed a great hearty flavor that perfectly complemented the rustic loaf.

Before You Begin

You can learn more about Sucanat in this article. Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the zucchini. The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan. Place zucchini in center of dish towel. Gather ends together and twist tightly to drain as much liquid as possible (you should have ½ to ⅔ cup liquid); discard liquid.

In medium bowl, whisk ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Sucanat, oil, eggs, and vanilla together. Stir in zucchini until combined.

In large bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together. Using rubber spatula, stir in zucchini mixture until combined; batter will be thick. Fold in walnuts.

Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Sucanat. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 1 hour 5 minutes to 1¼ hours, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let bread cool in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool for 1½ hours before serving.