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Classic Zucchini Bread with Easy Cinnamon Streusel Topping

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This classic zucchini bread features a tender, moist crumb and a generous cinnamon streusel topping. It’s the perfect comfort food for breakfast or dessert, made with simple pantry ingredients and a clever trick for perfectly moist bread every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  2. Prepare the zucchini: Wash and trim the ends, then grate using the large holes of a box grater to get about 1 ½ cups. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel, gather the corners, and squeeze firmly over the sink to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter bits. Stir in the chopped nuts if using. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
  4. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and oil until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Combine wet and dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the squeezed zucchini until evenly distributed.
  7. Assemble the loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the cold streusel topping evenly over the top, pressing down gently so it adheres.
  8. Bake: Place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 50-60 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the top—if the streusel is browning too quickly, tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Squeeze the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture—this is key for a moist but not soggy bread. Use cold butter for the streusel to ensure a crumbly texture. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. The bread tastes even better the day after baking as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini bread, cinnamon streusel, quick bread, easy zucchini bread, moist zucchini bread, streusel topping, fall baking, breakfast bread

Find it online: https://forkmila.com/classic-zucchini-bread-with-easy-cinnamon-streusel-topping/