This rich, dense bread is flecked with green from the zucchini and adorned with delicate zucchini blossoms on top. The flowers, which are available at gourmet specialty stores, are a beautiful addition, but the loaf is equally delicious with or without them. You can also use this batter for muffins, in which case you’ll have about twenty-four muffins and you’ll need to bake them for 20 to 25 minutes.

　　

Ingredients

makes two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaves or 24 muffins

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

　　1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　3 extra-large eggs

　　1 cup vegetable oil

　　1 3/4 cups sugar

　　2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)

　　2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　1 cup chopped fresh zucchini flowers or squash blossoms, plus

　　8 small whole flowers, split lengthwise (optional)

　　1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios (optional)

　　1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

　　

Step 1

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans, tapping out any excess flour.

　　

Step 2

Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Beat the eggs with a whisk in a large mixing bowl until frothy and light. Whisk in the vegetable oil and sugar. Stir in the zucchini and vanilla.

　　

Step 4

Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix just until incorporated, with no streaks of flour remaining. Fold in the chopped zucchini flowers, the nuts, and the dried cranberries.

　　

Step 5

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, spreading it evenly in the pans. Arrange the whole split flowers on top of each loaf. Bake the loaves for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

　　

Step 6

Remove the loaves from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to loosen the edges of the loaves from the pans and cool for another 10 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

　　Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Copyright © 2009 by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Published by Ballantine Books. All Rights Reserved.