WOW! Pineapple Zucchini Bread

I really feel silly. I mean.... borderline knucklehead material. Have you ever gotten an idea about how something would be, only to be completely wrong? (ya, it doesn't happen very often and we really shouldn't admit it.....so we'll just keep this on the down-low).

I remember the first time I heard about zucchini bread (years and years ago)...and I wasn't a huge fan of zucchini at the time and the idea of a bread made with the stuff just sounded, I dunno. Wrong!

Well, guess who was wrong in the end? (ssshhhh....no answers please, remember we're keeping this all hush-hush).

My beeps over in BakeSpace.com were talking about zucchini bread so I asked them if it tastes like zucchini. I was assured that it didn't. After some contemplation I asked for a recipe. My bud, Karen shared hers with me.....so I printed it out and set it on my desk.

Btw...I just have to say that this is not the first recipe I've gotten from Karen...and every one of them have been wonderful!! The link to the printable version below will take you to Karen's BakeSpace Kitchen where you can browse at your leisure (just click on her "screen name" and roam through her kitchen).

The recipe eventually found it's way to my kitchen counter and taunted me daily. I finally broke down and faced my unfounded fear and made it!

Guess what?! It doesn't taste like zucchini!!! It kinda reminds me of carrot cake...or a less dense banana bread (without the banana flavor)...i dunno....it's just really good! And moist! and Wonderfully yummy. And I bet it's really good for you too.

(just so you know....the number of zucchini in the picture is way overboard. You'll only need about 2 or 3 medium sized zucchinis)

Pineapple Zucchini Bread
Printable Version

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini (if you happen to shred more than you need....no worries, just make zucchini fritters for dinner or something)
1 20oz can crushed pineapple, well drained
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans like I did)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350'F, thoroughly grease a 5x9 loaf pan or a bundt pan

Whisk together the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla, in a good sized bowl

Stir in the remaining ingredients

Blend well

(mmmm...not so pretty yet, but it's promising. I mean....even banana bread never looks pretty at this stage, does it?)

Pour into your well greased loaf of bundt pan

Bake for 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Now doesn't that look incredible? Ya, I was pretty happy with it when I took it out of the oven. But I wasn't sure when to remove it from the pan. I turned it upside....and it didn't budge. I know I used LOTS of cooking spray and the pan is a nonstick jobber....so I let it sit for a while. Well, not too long of a while cuz I really wanted to give it a try...maybe 5 minutes? 10 minutes? I'm not sure. But I turned it upside down again and did a little shake and I felt a little budge...and out it came......sorta

Did I take it out too soon?

What do you think I did next?

What any good, respectable baker would do, of course....carefully picked out the pieces that were left behind and fitted them back into place....

and ended up with a loaf of zucchini bread with a really bad toupee.  

But it tasted fabulous! 

Thank you Karen!! As usual, you ROCK!