Zucchini Ginger Bread

When you're pregnant everyone wants to know what things you crave. The pickles and ice cream imagery is ingrained in our collective popular culture. It is also the only one of the more pleasant and conversationable sides of pregnancy. (No one ever asks if you've mapped out every conceivable public restroom within a 20-block walk of your home. Thanks for asking, I have.)

My pregnancy cravings are audience-appeasing odd. Like canned sardines, hot fudge and mayonnaisey lobster rolls. Recently, on a hot, sunny, bright-blue-typical summer day I had an intense craving for.... gingerbread. Dark, intense, wintery gingerbread. Of all things? So having just been gifted a Frankenstein of a zucchini from a recent trip up north, I summer-ized my craving and produced something really worthy of a reincarnation or two before zucchini season departs.

I imagine Olaf the summer snowman particularly enjoying this recipe. My toddler loves this bread too; I think he'd like it even more if I dubbed it Olaf's bread. (And while you're at it, watch Frozen if you haven't already. You can thank me later.)

Zucchini Ginger Bread

As always I used spelt flour, which, in case you needed a reminder, is 100% swappable 1:1 for wheat flour and comes in light (re: all-purpose) or whole grain (re: like "whole wheat") varieties. I used half light spelt and half whole grain spelt and would recommend a 50/50 split for those using wheat too.

This makes a dark, gingery, spicey loaf. Don't worry about missing the "zucchini" taste - does zucchini really taste like anything anyway? - but you can half the ginger if you want a milder bread.

**GLUTEN FREE UPDATE August 2021: this recipe works beautifully using 100% oat flour. Substitute 250 g of gluten free oat flour and 2 tsp of psyllium husk for the spelt. 

Makes 2 loafs

2 cups spelt flour (see note above)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 cups grated zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 and grease two loaf pans. 

In a large bowl whisk together the first 8 ingredients. In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, molasses, eggs and oil until very well combined. Dump the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. Fold in the zucchini. Spread evenly into the two pans and bake for about 45 mins - 1 hour, depending on oven temperature and type of pan used. A toothpick inserted in the middle should have moist crumbs - don't overbake. This bread freezes very well, just make sure it is completely cool before wrapping in plastic and freezing.