Egg-Less Zuchinni And Lemon Loaf

The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lis stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

Lis gave a couple of recipes and for more information on that you'll have to join the Daring Kitchen.

I didn't use any of those because No 2 son can't eat eggs.

Instead I adapted and fiddled and plotted and made the following recipe, then forgot to take a photo of it.

Zucchini and Lemon Loaf

Ingredients:

·        Grated rind of 1 lemon

·        2 cups sugar

·        ¾ cup vegetable oil

·        3 cups self-raising flour , sifted

·        2 cups zucchini (finely grated)

·        2 teaspoons vanilla

·        Juice of the lemon with enough milk added to make ¾ cup

·        1 teaspoon bi-carb (baking) soda

·        1 teaspoon salt

·        2 teaspoons mixed spice

·        ½ cup cocoa nibs

·        ¾ cup pecans or almonds – chopped into small bits

·        Grated rind and juice of 1 (another) lemon

·        ½ cup white sugar

Directions:

·       Preheat oven to 175° Celsius.

·       Grease two 9×5 inch (23×13 centimeter) loaf pans and place a strip of bake paper length wise, up over the ends with some overhang in each tin. This makes lifting the cool cakes out easier.

·       Place milk and lemon juice into a medium sized mixing bowl.

·       Add sugar and blend until creamy and slightly thick.

·       Add oil and mix well.

·       Add zucchini, vanilla, and nuts. Stir well.

·       Sift flour, mixed spice, baking powder, soda, and salt into another medium bowl.

·       Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients a couple of spoonful’s at a time until nicely combined.

·       Pour the 'batter' into loaf pans, and put into the oven.

·       Bake for 1 hour (60 minutes) and check to see if it is done (a skewer inserted should come out clean and the sides should have pulled away from the tin).

·       If you need to leave it in for any additional time cover loosely with some foil so the top does not overcook.

·       It is not unusual for quick bread such as this to crack along the top.

·       Mix the extra juice, rind and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar melts and the mixture bubbles.

·       Take the cakes out of the oven and pour half the syrup over each cake. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool. Lift out with the baking paper.