2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light or golden brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, best quality possible

2 teaspoons orange zest (zest from approximately 1 medium size orange)

2 cups grated yellow or green zucchini squash, excess moisture removed – see kitchen note

3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly whisked with a fork to just break the yolks

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried craisins

1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Pam baking spray, or butter to grease loaf pans

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2.   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

3.   In a separate large bowl, use a whisk to combine oil, vanilla, orange zest and zucchini. Once completely incorporated, add eggs being careful to not over-mix.

4.   Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined being careful to not over-mix the batter.

5.   Using a spatula, fold in orange zest, raisins, craisins and walnuts again being careful to not over-mix.

6.   Spray each loaf pan with cooking spray and using a cookie scoop, evenly portion batter among the pans. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 35 – 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes back clean.

7.   Allow to rest in the loaf pan at room temperature for 15 minutes before inverting and allowing to fully cool on a wire rack.

8.   Serve slightly warm as is or with a little butter on the side.

Kitchen Note: To grate the zucchini, either use a food processor with the grating attachment, or a box grater. Just make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible before adding to the batter.

Feel free to bake this in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan but note cooking times will differ. I prefer to bake them in mini loafs as they make for great gifts and what you cannot eat can easily freeze for later use.

Swapping around nuts and dried fruit is a great way to customize the loaves to your personal preference. Just make sure you keep the same quantities.