There comes a moment in late summer when the light begins to change. The days may still be warm, the garden is still producing zucchini with enthusiasm, but there’s just enough autumn in the air to make turning on the oven feel irresistible.
This Apple Butter Zucchini Bread is just the thing for that in-between season. Tender zucchini keeps the loaf wonderfully moist, while apple butter adds a subtle fruity richness that nudges it toward fall without overwhelming the fresh, simple character of zucchini bread. A cinnamon-brown sugar topping bakes into sweet, buttery pockets on top, and an optional cinnamon-maple butter makes a warm slice especially hard to resist.
Enjoy it for breakfast with coffee, tuck a slice into an afternoon snack, or serve it slightly warm as a simple dessert. It’s a delicious way to use one more zucchini—and welcome the first flavors of autumn.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Zucchini Bread
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple butter
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
1 3/4 cups whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2–3 tablespoons additional apple butter, optional, for swirling
For the Cinnamon Topping
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
For the Cinnamon Butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to help lift the bread from the pan after baking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, apple butter, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the grated zucchini.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently mix just until combined; do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, spoon 2–3 tablespoons of additional apple butter over the batter and gently swirl it through with the tip of a knife, leaving visible ribbons throughout.
Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter until the mixture forms soft crumbs or small clumps. Scatter evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake for 60–65 minutes, or until the center is set and a tester inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil toward the end of baking.
Allow the bread to cool briefly in the pan before transferring it to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Beat together the softened butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt until creamy and well blended. Serve alongside slices of warm zucchini bread.
YIELD: 1 loaf, about 10 slices
COOK’S NOTES:
There’s no need to peel the zucchini before grating it. If your zucchini is especially large or watery, gently blot the grated zucchini with a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the batter—but don’t squeeze it completely dry. Some moisture is what makes zucchini bread so tender.
For an especially autumnal loaf, use a deeply spiced apple butter. Homemade apple or pear butter would also be lovely here, but you can purchase it from Prevedelli Farms, too.
The cinnamon butter is optional, but a warm slice spread with just a little of it turns this humble zucchini loaf into something rather special.
SOURCE: Recipe adapted from Tieghan Gerard, Half Baked Harvest
