• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Anchored Baking
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Living
  • Shop
  • Give
  • Contact

Lemon Ginger Zucchini Bread with Créme Fraiche and Sea Salt

September 10, 2020 By Lindsay Forbes 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Lemon Ginger Zucchini Bread with creme fraiche

This is a fun twist on the classic zucchini bread with flavors of ginger, freshly grated nutmeg, and lemon zest. To finish, the bread is toasted in brown butter and topped with a dollop of créme fraiche and a sprinkle of sea salt. Plus, the zucchini requires ZERO draining and wringing dry prior to baking! WIN-WIN-WIN!!!

I can’t wait for this to be your next favorite zucchini bread recipe. This makes for a decadent breakfast but it is also well-suited (and originally intended) as a dessert.

The Inspiration

This recipe was born out of my desire to combine my favorite components of two zucchini bread recipes:

  1. Smitten Kitchen: Deb Perelman created the ultimate zucchini bread that is nicely spiced and has a great rise. It is everything you want in a traditional zucchini bread. Most notably, her recipe does not require you to drain the zucchini before mixing it which is life-changing! Once I made her recipe, I knew I would never go back to wringing the zucchini dry.
  2. A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories by Chef Renee Erickson: This recipe stood out to me because of the ginger and lemon. I also loved the serving suggestion and presentation. She uses an interesting method for draining the zucchini (see below). At Renee’s restaurant, The Whale Wins, this zucchini bread is served on the dessert menu! I do not own her cookbook (yet) but I found the recipe on Not Without Salt. I found the bread to be a wee bit dense for my liking so I knew I wanted to make a slightly lighter crumb.

I made each recipe as originally written and then I did three tests combining them (with different tweaks each time). Due to the extra moisture in the zucchini, I had to decrease the oil. I cut the sugar in half, increased baking powder, and used less egg. I finally got it right!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed creating it 🙂

Smitten Kitchen zucchini bread
This is the original zucchini bread from Smitten Kitchen.
Zucchini bread from A Boat, a Whale, & a Walrus cookbook
This is the original recipe from A Boat, a Whale & A Walrus. The recipe calls for smearing the créme fraiche on the plate but I preferred a dollop on top. See recipe notes.
Draining zucchini over a bowl
This is the method indicated in A Boat, a Whale & A Walrus for draining the zucchini. Combine grated zucchini with 1/4 cup sugar, transfer to a fine-mesh strainer over a mixing bowl. Then place another bowl halfway filled with water on top of the zucchini. This creates pressure to press the water out of the zucchini. Interesting but I prefer not draining at all 🙂
Lemon Ginger Zucchini Bread with creme fraiche

Lemon Ginger Zucchini Bread

Lindsay Forbes
This is a fun twist on the classic zucchini bread with flavors of ginger, freshly grated nutmeg, and lemon zest. It is then toasted in brown butter and topped with a dollop of créme fraiche and a sprinkle of sea salt.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 9X5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (13 oz or 370 grams) grated zucchini, packed (not wrung out)
  • Finely grated zest from 2 large lemons
  • 1/2 cup safflower oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (95 grams) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp turbinado sugar

For serving

  • unsalted butter
  • créme fraiche
  • flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9X5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
  • Grate zucchini on the large holes of a grater and put into a large bowl (do NOT pat dry, wring out, etc). Add lemon zest, oil, eggs, both sugars, vanilla, and salt. Stir to evenly combine. Add ginger, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder to the bowl with the zucchini. Mix well to combine (you cannot overmix this part).
  • Add flour to the bowl and mix until just barely combined. Do NOT overmix or your bread will be tough.
  • Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar (see notes).
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let loaf cool in pan for 20 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • To serve: Slice bread into pieces that are 1-inch thick. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat (~2 tbsp of butter per slice of bread). When butter is starting to foam, add slices and toast on each side for a few minutes until golden brown. Plate each slice on a dessert dish, add a dollop of créme fraiche and sprinkle with sea salt. See notes.

Notes

  1. Make sure to evenly sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the entire surface area of the bread. I had one loaf where the sugar was not evenly dispersed and some of the crust came off in the frying pan. 
  2. Note that the original plating has the créme fraiche smeared on the dessert plate and then the zucchini bread is added with a sprinkle of sea salt. I preferred the créme fraiche on top because it got less soggy and you can control how much you want with each bite. To each their own! 
Keyword brown butter, creme fraiche, ginger, lemon, zucchini

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Recipes Tagged With: creme fraiche, ginger, lemon, zucchini, zucchini bread

Previous Post: « Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel S’mores
Next Post: S’mores Rice Krispie Treats with Homemade Marshmallows »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Victoria

    September 17, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Lindsay! This is such fabulous recipe. I ate a slice last night just plain but it elevated it so much to toast it in the brown butter. I ate it with greek yogurt instead of creme fraiche to give myself the illusion of it being a healthy breakfast, LOL. DON’T SKIP THE FLAKY SEA SALT! Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got cooking!

    Reply
    • Victoria

      September 17, 2020 at 5:48 pm

      I should also mention that I just had light brown sugar on hand so mine turned out a bit lighter and I used vegetable oil which is the neutral oil I tend to have on hand.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Meet Lindsay

Welcome to Anchored Baking! This is where you will find sweet treats, some savory foods, and fun facts about culinary history. Read More…

Let’s Connect!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Join the list

Subscribe to receive new posts via email.

anchoredbaking

Happy Easter! 🐰 I posted this new recipe for a Happy Easter! 🐰 I posted this new recipe for a Tropical Coconut Carrot Cake Loaf and I think you will love it!

The cake batter is filled with shredded carrots and warm spices but it also has mashed bananas in it (a trick I learned from @ambitiouskitchen). The bananas add sweetness and moisture, giving the cake a perfect texture. I topped it with a coconut buttercream and toasted coconut flakes to complement the banana. 

Check out AnchoredBaking.com for the recipe! I hope you give it a try :)
.
.
.
.
.
#happyeaster #carrotcake #bananavread #coconutcake #carrotcakeloaf #quickbread #smallbatchbaking #coconutfrosting #tropicaltreats #eastercake #easterbaking #springbaking #cakeforbreakfast #anchoredbaking #thebakefeed #wsbakeclub
Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️ I just posted this Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️ I just posted this recipe for Irish Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel and Vanilla Bean Custard Sauce. One of my favorite things about this cake is you can have it for dessert AND breakfast the next day! :) It is not too sweet and it is the perfect way to end a traditional boiled dinner if you are having that tonight. Visit AnchoredBaking.com for the recipe and more details! 
.
.
.
.
.
#stpatricksday #stpattysday #applecake #irishapplecake #custard #custardsauce #stpattys #thefeedfeed #thebakefeed #cakeforbreakfast #appledesserts #foodstyling #foodtographyschool #coffeecake #anchoredbaking #springbaking #caketime #cakelovers
Happy Mardi Gras! 💜💛💚 Today would be a gr Happy Mardi Gras! 💜💛💚 Today would be a great day to make these vanilla bean beignets with passion fruit curd. Hardly "traditional" but one of my favorite recipes I have ever published. The beignets have a fluffy, pillowy texture and the curd is a nice tangy complement to the sweet dough. I also wrote about the history of beignets on AnchoredBaking.com if you want to learn more :)

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!) 
.
.
.
.
#anchoredbaking #mardigras #NOLA #dessertrecipe #breakfastrecipe #thebakefeed #food52grams @food52 @thebakefeed #food52community @foodtographyschool #passionfruit #lilikoi #mauibaker #beignet #foodhistory #passionfruitcurd #doughnut #redstaryeast #thefeedfeedbaking #bakingblog
We spent one night at @campolowalu and wish we had We spent one night at @campolowalu and wish we had stayed longer! Who else loves camp cooking? Please share your favorite recipes to make while camping! I posted more details and pictures on AnchoredBaking.com :) 
.
.
.
.
.

#campolowalu #olowalu #maui #campcooking #maui #glamping #camping #outdoorkitchen #anchoredbaking
New recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Ice Cr New recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Ice Cream with Fudge Ribbons

This recipe has white chocolate melted into the custard base of the ice cream. Then we add fudgey chocolate ribbons and sprinkles of crushed candy cane to recreate all the flavors of peppermint bark. You are going to love this!!

This is a great recipe for anybody who celebrates Christmas in warmer climates but if you are anything like us, you can enjoy ice cream year round! 😉

Recipe on AnchoredBaking.com!
.
.
.
.
.
#homemadeicecream #icecream #christmas #christmasbaking #candycane #peppermintbark #foodstyling #peppermintbarkicecream #whitechocolate #bakingrecipes #feedfeed #feedfeedbaking #foodblog #anchoredbaking #makeittogether #thebakefeed #myanthropologie
New Recipe: Gingerbread Crème Brûlée! This reci New Recipe: Gingerbread Crème Brûlée! This recipe has a spicy, creamy custard base, a hardened caramelized sugar topping for the quintessential crunch, and the cutest gingerbread man stenciled on top to give a nod to the flavors inside.

Check out AnchoredBaking.com for all the tips and tricks including a template to stencil the gingerbread men.

I hope this makes an appearance on your Christmas dinner table!! Happy Holidays! 
.
.
.
.
.
#cremebrulee #crèmebrûlée #gingerbread #gingerbreadman #gingerbreadmen #holidaydessert #christmasbaking #dessertsofinstagram #kitchentorch #anchoredbaking #feedfeed #feedfeedbaking #foodtographyschool #foodphotographyandstyling #christmasbakes #dessertrecipe #bakingtips #bakingblogger #jochefculinary
We celebrated our first Thanksgiving on Maui and w We celebrated our first Thanksgiving on Maui and we made kālua turkey! You may have had kālua pork before. Did you know that  kālua means "too cook in an underground oven"? The Hawaiian underground oven is called an imu (pronounced "e-moo").

One of the churches nearby builds a huge imu for the community. This is a donation based program and it is their annual fundraiser. We just had to prepare the turkey, drop it off, wait 12 hours, and then pick it up the next day. 

I wrote all about our experience on AnchoredBaking.com: 
- History of the Imu 
- Step-by-step process 
- How it turned out and what we will do next time 

Let me know if you have any questions! It was a really fun experience and we have a new tradition! 

#turkey #roastedturkey #thanksgiving #hawaiianthanksgiving #hawaiiantradition #hawaiianhistory #kālua #kāluatukey #imu #anchoredbaking #maui #mauinews #thanksgivingtradition
Fromage Blanc, Honeycomb, and Fig Viennoiserie fro Fromage Blanc, Honeycomb, and Fig Viennoiserie from The Pastry School by @julie_jonesuk 

Fig season is short but it is sweet! This pastry has a flaky, buttery crunch, fig jam, fromage blanc, and honeycomb. Each bite is filled with delicious flavors. Julie's instructions for the laminated dough were super clear and easy to follow. Check out my stories to see how these were prepped for baking -- I do wish I had something heavier than beans!

I ran all over town looking for fromage blanc (thank you @thecheeseshop!) but I think goat cheese would be just as yummy. I also thought about adding some toasted walnuts to the filling. Luckily, I know I will be making these again so I will try next time :)

Julie's book is full of creative and beautiful recipes - nothing short of artwork! This cookbook would make a great gift for the bakers in your life that like "projects" ;) Thank you, @chubbeekitchen, for showcasing this book and influencing my purchase! You can check out her page to see a bunch of other recipes she made from this cookbook. 
.
.
.
.
.

#laminateddough #viennoiserie #frenchpastry #homebaker #pastryschool #figseason #fromageblanc #cheeselover #anchoredbaking #foodartblog #foodtographyschool #thebakefeed #bakeandshare #redstaryeast #yeasteddough #breakfastpastry #honeycomb #savethebees #beecause #beechworthhoney
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving :) Wha I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving :) What was your favorite thing that you made?

We started the day with a slice of the pumpkin tea cake from @lizprueitt_tartine. It was the perfect recipe to break in my new @nordicwareusa pan- I love the wheat detail and the scalloped edges 😍

We cooked our turkey in a Hawaiian imu- I will do a dedicated post on the process and what we learned next week! 

Wishing you all a restful long weekend with your loved ones :) 
.
.
.
.
.

#thanksgiving #pumpkinspice #pumpkinseason #pumpkinbread #pumpkinteacake  #thanksgivingbaking #thefeedfeed #thebakefeed #foodstyling #bakingblogger #tartine #anchoredbaking #feedfeedbaking #foodphotos #foodphotographyandstyling #foodstylist #cookbooklover #cookbookcollector #tartinecookbook #tartinerevisited #targetfinds
Load More Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2020 Anchored Baking