Zucchini Bread with a twist

Andrea Bemis from Dishing up the Dirt created this recipe and I think its a winner. I didn't adjust much but it can easily be tweaked if you don't have an ingredient.

ZUCCHINI BREAD WITH CHERRIES, CHOCOLATE & CARDAMOM

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 55 MINUTES

SERVES: 1 LOAF

• 1/2 cup hazelnut oil (or another neutral tasting oil)

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (about 1 medium-sized zucchini)

• 1/2 cup fresh cherries, pitted and sliced in half

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips - I skipped the chips

• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped - I used pistachios

• a few hefty pinches of turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

Preparation

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position of your oven and pre-heat the oven to 350F.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the oil and honey. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and zucchini. Mix until well combined then gently fold in the cherries.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (being careful to not over-mix) and add the chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

4. Pour the batter into a lightly greased 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the loaf with the turbinado sugar (if using). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool the zucchini bread in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cooking times will very from kitchen to kitchen