Ginger zucchini loaf

Ready in 1¼ hours Makes 1 loaf

2 eggs 1 cup soft brown sugar ¾ cup neutral oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 zucchini, grated and squeezed to remove excess moisture (you should have about 2 cups grated zucchini) 1¾ cups wholemeal/

wholewheat flour 1 Tbsp ground

cinnamon 1 Tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda, crushed in your

hand to remove any lumps

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup finely chopped crystallised

ginger

TO SERVE (optional) Butter

Jam, e.g. fig jam

Preheat oven to 180C fan bake. Grease the sides of a large (6-8 cup capacity) loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Place eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the zucchini, then the dry ingredients and crystallised ginger. Mix to combine.

Transfer mixture to prepared tin and bake until the top is golden and cracked and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 1 hour). Allow to cool in the tin before turning out. It will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Slice and spread with butter and jam before serving, if desired.

Match this with ...

Kereru Ginger Bird Spiced Brown Ale 7% 330ml ($39 x 6pk) Chomping down on a toothsomely soft slice of this luxurious loaf and then sipping the rich, spicy, caramelised malty marvellousness of this ginger-infused brew is something that’ll stay with you all the livelong day. Local barley, local hops, Belgian candi sugar, orange zest, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar saturate the tongue and gums gorgeously. kererubrewing.co.nz

— Yvonne Lorkin