Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread

This delicious sourdough based recipe is inspired by a non-sourdough version I made in my book Celebrate with Bread Baking.

Even though my picky son can’t stand vegetables, he loves zucchini bread! He asks me to make it year-round. I love how tender and moist it makes bread and combined with the warm spices, it is so delicious.

And I feel even better about making him a sourdough version to share.

To prepare for making this sourdough version, you make an overnight sponge of sourdough discard, water, and flour. In the morning, or after 6 to 10 hours, you will add the remaining ingredients then bake!

It makes sourdough baking feel easy. 😉

In the picture I am showing a loaf of Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread, but the recipe below is for muffins. You can find instructions for making a loaf in the Notes section of the recipe.

If you need a recommendation for a loaf pan, muffin tins, or parchment paper, see my favorites on my tools page.

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Sourdough Discard Zucchini Spice Quick Bread

My picky son absolutely loves this zucchini spice bread! We like to have this bread for a special breakfast with coffee. It is perfect for summer when zucchini is in season and very prolific in our region. The zucchini gives this bread an incredible moist bite, and combined with its sweet and spicy flavor, this Zucchini Spice Quick Bread might get a picky eater you know excited to eat something green! This recipe is for muffins, but I give instructions to make it into a loaf in the Notes section.

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 12 muffins (see Notes for making a loaf)

Equipment

• cheese grater
• Food Scale
• fine mesh strainer
• pan or small pot to melt butter
• 2 large bowls
• Spoon
• paper cupcake/muffin liners
• muffin pan

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 100 grams sourdough discard (active starter can be used as well) about 1 cup
• 120 grams water 1/2 cup
• 250 grams flour ( all-purpose is okay, I like to use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose) 1 2/3 cup

For the dough

• 42 grams unsalted butter, softened 3 tablespoons
• 42 grams oil (I prefer softened coconut oil, avocado oil works well too) 3 tablespoons
• 120 grams brown sugar ½ cup 1 ¼ tablespoons
• 2 eggs
• 6 grams vanilla 1 teaspoon
• 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
• 5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
• 9 grams cinnamon 2 teaspoons
• 4 grams ginger 1 teaspoon
• 2 grams nutmeg ½ teaspoon
• 1 gram clove ¼ teaspoon
• 250 grams grated zucchini about 1 cup

Instructions

• Make sponge: Mix sourdough discard, water, and flour together into a thick sponge. Cover well and let sit at room temperature 6 to 10 hours or overnight.
• Preheat: Preheat oven to 350º
• Grate zucchini: Grate zucchini into coarse pieces using a clean cheese grater. Place zucchini in a fine mesh strainer propped over a bowl to allow excess water to drain.
• Beat butter: Place a large mixing bowl on the scale. Tare the bowl then add butter. Cream butter. Add oil and brown sugar. Beat together until creamy.
• Scale: Add eggs, vanilla, and salt. (Remember to use the scale’s tare function to remove the weight of the bowl and previous ingredients to only weigh the current item added)
• Mix: Beat ingredients together.
• Add sponge: Use a spatula to add your sponge and mix well until all the ingredients are incorporated..
• Mix spices and baking soda: In a separate bowl, mix baking soda and spices. Pour dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir together.
• Add zucchini: Once combined, add the grated and drained zucchini.
• Prepare muffin pan: Place liners into the cups of the muffin pan.
• Fill muffin cups: Use a spatula to pour dough into the cups, equally distributed and about ¾ full. For an extra crispiness on top, sprinkle ½ to 1 teaspoons sugar over the top of each muffin before baking.
• Bake: Place pans into oven and bake 18 to 22 The tops should be golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Cool: Allow to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serve: Enjoy!

Notes

For making a loaf instead of muffins, follow these instructions:

• Prepare loaf pans: Cut one square piece of parchment, at least 12-by-12-inch. Turn a loaf pan over, center the parchment square over the bottom of the loaf pan. Use scissors to make four cuts from the edge of the paper to each corner. Turn loaf pan over. Use cut slits to fold edges in to fit parchment snugly into loaf pans.
• Fill loaf pans: Use a spatula to pour dough into the loaf pan, equally distributed. For an extra crispiness on top, sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar over the top before baking.
• Bake: Place pan into oven and bake 60 to 70 The bread should have a golden brown top and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

The parchment paper in the loaf pans makes the zucchini spice bread easy to remove. Tie a ribbon around the loaf with a gift tag to give a loaf away to a friend or neighbor.

To order Celebrate with Bread Baking click here!