Small-Batch Zucchini Bread (Easy Quick Bread)
Have a little zucchini left but don’t need a full loaf of zucchini bread? This Small-Batch Zucchini Bread uses just ½ cup of shredded zucchini and bakes in a small 2-cup ceramic baking dish.
It’s an easy quick bread made with basic baking ingredients, cinnamon, and your choice of vegetable oil or melted butter. Keep it simple, add chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips, or drizzle the cooled bread with a quick powdered sugar glaze.
It’s just enough zucchini bread to enjoy without committing to a full-size loaf – and a mighty fine use for that lonely piece of zucchini hanging out in the refrigerator.
Small-Batch Zucchini Bread at a Glance
| Zucchini Needed | ½ cup finely shredded |
| Baking Dish | 2-cup ceramic baking dish |
| Oven Temperature | 350°F |
| Bake Time | 28–36 minutes |
| Optional Add-Ins | Pecans or mini chocolate chips |
| Optional Topping | Powdered sugar glaze |
Ingredients
You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make this small zucchini bread:
- ½ cup finely shredded zucchini, lightly packed
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips, optional
Optional Glaze
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons milk
How To Make Small-Batch Zucchini Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-cup ceramic baking dish.
- Place the shredded zucchini between paper towels and gently press out some of the excess liquid. Don’t wring it bone-dry. Some of that moisture helps keep the bread tender.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg, oil, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing. Fold in the chopped pecans or mini chocolate chips, if using.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish. The dish should be no more than about three-quarters full to leave room for the bread to rise.
- Bake for 28–36 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool in the baking dish for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Why Zucchini Bread Is a Quick Bread
Zucchini bread is considered a quick bread because it uses baking soda and baking powder for leavening instead of yeast. There’s no kneading, rising, or waiting for dough to do its thing.
Despite the word bread, zucchini bread is sweeter and softer than sandwich bread. The method is similar to making muffins: mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, combine the two, and bake.
Once the flour goes into the batter, stir only until everything is combined. Overmixing can make quick bread tougher instead of tender.
Do You Need To Peel Zucchini for Zucchini Bread?
No. Zucchini skin is thin and tender, so there’s no need to peel it first.
Wash and dry the zucchini, trim off the ends, and finely shred it. Finely shredded zucchini works especially well in a small batch because it distributes throughout the batter without leaving large pieces in each slice.
Should You Squeeze the Water Out of Zucchini?
Yes – but don’t get carried away.
After shredding the zucchini, gently press it between paper towels to remove some of the excess liquid. You don’t want to wring it completely dry.
This recipe relies on some of the natural moisture in the zucchini to help keep the bread tender. Put down the death grip and let the zucchini keep a little dignity.
Baking Zucchini Bread in a Ceramic Dish
Ceramic bakeware heats more slowly than metal, so this small zucchini bread may take a little longer to bake through in the center than you expect.
Start checking it around the 28-minute mark, but don’t be surprised if it needs closer to 35 or 36 minutes.
If the top begins to brown before the center is finished, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil and continue baking.
The most reliable test is a toothpick inserted into the center. A few moist crumbs are fine; wet batter means it needs more time.
Also keep in mind that small-ceramic baking dishes come in different shapes. A shallow, wide dish may bake faster than a deeper one, even if both hold 2 cups.
Vegetable Oil or Butter?
You can make this zucchini bread with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or melted butter.
Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor and helps produce a moist, tender quick bread. Melted butter adds a little more richness and buttery flavor.
Use whichever you prefer – or whichever one is currently within reach of your mixing bowl. (Personally, I prefer using butter.)
Ways To Dress Up Your Zucchini Bread
This little loaf – or technically, little not-a-loaf – is good all by itself, but you can add a little something extra.
Fold 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans into the batter for some crunch, or use 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips for a sweeter version.
Because this is a small batch, resist the temptation to dump half the pantry into it. Too many add-ins can overwhelm the batter.
Add a Simple Glaze
For a sweeter finish, combine ¼ cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of milk. Stir until smooth, adding a little more milk as needed until the glaze reaches a drizzling consistency.
Let the zucchini bread cool before adding the glaze.
Can You Bake Zucchini Bread in a Souper Cubes Ceramic Dish?
Yes! I made this small-batch zucchini bread in a Souper Cubes 2-cup ceramic baking dish. The recipe is scaled specifically for a dish with approximately a 2-cup capacity, so you don’t need a standard loaf pan – or enough zucchini to make a full-size loaf.
The ceramic dish also makes this a handy recipe for one or two people, small households, or anyone who wants a little zucchini bread without a week’s worth of leftovers.
You don’t have to own a Souper Cubes dish to make the recipe. Any oven-safe ceramic baking dish with approximately a 2-cup capacity should work. Because ceramic dishes can vary in shape and depth, use the doneness tests rather than relying solely on baking time.
Important: Don’t fill the baking dish more than about three-quarters full so the quick bread has room to rise.
How To Store Zucchini Bread
Allow the bread to cool completely before covering it or transferring it to an airtight container.
Store it at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a large zucchini?
Yes. If you’re using an especially large garden zucchini, remove any large, tough seeds before shredding it. Measure out ½ cup of finely shredded zucchini for the recipe.
Can I use yellow squash instead?
I haven’t tested this recipe with yellow squash, so I wouldn’t promise identical results. Stick with zucchini for the recipe as written.
Can I add chocolate chips?
Yes. Fold about 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips into the batter.
Can I add nuts?
Absolutely. About 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans is plenty for this small batch.
Why is my zucchini bread taking longer to bake?
Ceramic baking dishes heat more slowly than metal pans, and their shapes vary. A deeper dish can require more time for the center to finish baking. Check doneness with a toothpick rather than relying solely on the clock.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. Be sure to use 2 two-cup dishes.
I haven’t tested a doubled batch in a larger pan, so I recommend making the recipe as written. Baking times and pan requirements would change with a larger batch.
Small-Batch Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-cup ceramic baking dish.
- Place the shredded zucchini between paper towels and gently press out some of the excess liquid. Do not squeeze it completely dry.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg, oil, and vanilla until combined. Stir in the zucchini.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the pecans or chocolate chips, if using.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared dish. The dish should be no more than about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 28–36 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the dish for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!If you enjoy this small-batch zucchini bread, you might also like my banana nut muffins for an easy breakfast or snack. For another homemade quick bread, try my strawberry bread, made with juicy strawberries and just right for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat.
Last Bite
This small-batch zucchini bread is handy when you have a little zucchini to use up but don’t need an entire loaf – or two – hanging around the kitchen.
Enjoy it plain with a cup of coffee, add pecans or chocolate chips, or give it a drizzle of glaze when you’re craving something a little sweeter.
How do you like your zucchini bread: plain, with pecans, with chocolate chips, or topped with glaze? Let me know in the comments!
