Sweet zucchini bread with mint
Instructions:
- ¼ cup (2 ounces, ½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces;
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (4¼ ounces);
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour (2 ounces);
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder;
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- 2 cups loosely packed grated zucchini (½ pound or 2 small);
- ½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh mint;
- ½ cup golden raisins;
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest;
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature;
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil;
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar;
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract;
- 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts, plus 3 walnut halves for Garnish.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan, or coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, combine the zucchini, mint, raisins, lemon zest, and juice.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs using a hand mixer at low speed until blended. Increase the speed to medium, gradually adding the olive oil and the brown sugar, and beating until the mixture becomes thick and foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla extract until well blended. Decrease the speed to low, add the zucchini mixture, and then slowly add the flour mixture until just blended. Do not overmix. Fold in 1 cup of the walnuts using a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan, leveling the top with the spatula. Gently press 3 walnut halves across the top.
- Bake until the bread has risen and is light golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges with a small sharp knife, and unmold the bread; transfer to a wire rack, right side up, to cool completely, or enjoy warm.
- TO GET A HEAD START: Zucchini bread can be baked 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.
- TO LIGHTEN IT UP: For a heart-healthy bread, feel free to omit the butter entirely and use a total of ½ cup olive oil instead.
- TO VARY IT: My sister-in-law, Yasmin, an avid baker and cook, made muffins with the batter. She filled the cups of a standard muffin pan about ¾ full, and baked them at 325°F until light golden brown, about 40 minutes.