Summer may be coming to an end, but there’s still giant zucchini bursting in our garden, which means I had no excuse not to try out my very first zucchini bread. I’ve always been a banana bread loyalist, so I never even attempted zucchini bread, but this recipe has officially converted me! It’s so delicious that you wouldn’t even know that it’s paleo / grain-free / dairy-free, lightly sweetened with just pure maple syrup, and even has some protein added in. It’s cozy and comforting, perfect with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat (warm it up with some butter & a sprinkle of salt, omg), and just the perfect way to transition into Fall baking! To watch the step-by-step reel of this recipe, click here.
Ingredients
Makes 1 loaf.
2 cups grated zucchini (measured before squeezing)
2 cups almond flour
¼ cup tapioca flour*
¼ cup unflavored or vanilla protein powder** (I used this one)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp sea salt
3 eggs
⅓ cup maple syrup
¼ cup almond butter
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips + 1 tbsp for topping
Garnish: sprinkle of flaky sea salt
*if you don’t have tapioca flour, you can use more almond flour. The tapioca gives it a little more lightness, so using all almond flour will work but will be more dense.
**make sure to use a protein powder that doesn’t have a chalky aftertaste and easily blends into any recipe!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray the paper with avocado oil spray.
- Grate zucchini until you have 2 cups (before squeezing). Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible — you’ll be surprised how much water comes out!
- In one bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, protein powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, maple syrup, nut butter, avocado oil, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the squeezed zucchini.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Pour into greased, parchment-lined loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp chocolate chips on top (I like to use mini chocolate chips for the top).
- Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. Remove the loaf by pulling up on the parchment paper and transferring over to a cutting board to slice.
Highly recommend serving warm with a little butter and salt — so delicious! Enjoy!
