pumpkin zucchini bread

(This giveaway is now closed.)

Sweet, pumpkiny, zucchini-y, delicious loafy goodness right thurrrr. That’s what that is.

Have I had too much coffee this morning? Mayhaps. But it’s only because I heart you and I have exciting things to tell you about/give away to you today.

So here’s a fun-slash-kinda ridiculous factoid about me: Apart from that one time I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and was averse to it (it’s like I didn’t even know myself), I haven’t gone a single day without coffee since I was 15. Right? RIGHT? I blame this on my first job being at a coffee shop. Basically my entire life has been caffeinated.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is debatable. Though according to me, I think it’s been just fine. Me has also had two full cups of coffee already, so there may be a little bias.

But I can’t help myself. The best part of waking up is coffee in my cup (and definitely not the kind that goes with that jingle). There are few happier moments in my day than when I take my first sip of hot coffee yum-yumminess with a hearty breakfast sitting in front of me, waiting to be devoured. And if that breakfast is this pumpkin zucchini bread? EVEN BETTER.

So when Staples contacted me, Self-Professed Coffee Lover, about reviewing the Keurig OfficePRO Premier brewing system for National Coffee Day (that’s today!) and pairing it with a coffee-friendly treat, I was like, “Um, yes please that would be delightful” while secretly thinking, “CHYEAHHHHH LET’S DO IT I LOVE COFFEE.”

Don’t get me wrong — I dearly loved our current coffeemaker setup, which was a standard drip brew. But I have also fallen prey to the Keurig’s woo — that is to say, the ability to put a cute lil’ pod in the machine, press a single button, walk away and in less than a minute, boom: Coffee. No prep, no cleanup and you can have different flavors/roasts all in the same day: meaning I can have my pumpkin spice or hazelnut-flavored coffees that I so love (do not judge, coffee purists) and the husband can have his boring old-man plain black coffee. This particular Keurig brewer also has a fun and fancy screen that tells you what to do, which is helpful for those groggy mornings when I can barely put my slippers on the right feet.

Needless to say, I have been extra-caffeinated these last few days giving the Keurig a whirl. Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice? Press “brew.” Oooo, Caribou Coffee Caribou Blend? “Brew.” Ohhhh, but also chai latte and hot cocoa and apple cider? CANNOT STOP PRESSING “BREW.”

I also cannot stop eating this delectable pumpkin zucchini loaf for breakfast every morning, either on its own warmed up a bit or with a schmear of cream cheese on top ← OMG do this, it’s so good. Because I had been craving both zucchini and pumpkin breads lately, I am so happy to discover and report via this lovely recipe that you can, in fact, combine the two and it is indeed a magical, miraculous result. It’s sweet, soft, spiced, moist (yesssssss I know, sorry, but there is no better explanation) and dense but not too heavy. And I am loving the crunch from the pepita topping, as well. I highly recommend it for your fall baking extravaganzas (which are totally a thing for you, too, right?).

So, about that giveaway: In honor and celebration of National Coffee Day, Staples is generously providing TWO lucky readers a chance to win a Keurig OfficePRO Premier brewing system through their “Pick Me Up Hour” Twitter giveaway — today (9/29) only!

To enter, check out all the awesomeness the Keurig OfficePRO has to offer. Then, follow me on Twitter (@stephmwise) at 9 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. CDT) AND 3 p.m. EDT (2 p.m. CDT) when I’ll be tweeting out about “Pick Me Up Hour” using the hashtag #CoffeeBuzz. I’ll be giving out directions on how to enter the giveaway in those tweets, so be sure to follow along!

Best of luck, and happy coffee drinking/pumpkin zucchini loaf eating!

Pumpkin Zucchini Bread

• Author: Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 2 9-by-5-inch loaves 1x

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup rough-chopped pepitas, for topping (optional)

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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 9-by-5-inch loaf pans (or spray with baking spray).
2. Place shredded zucchini in a colander. Cover with a layer of paper towels to absorb some of the liquid and set aside while you prepare the batter.
3. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs until combined.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir until just combined. Add zucchini and stir until just incorporated.
5. Divide batter evenly among prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle tops of loaves with pepitas, if desired. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Disclosure: I received a Keurig OfficePRO Premier brewing system plus sample K-Cups for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

P.S. Want more quick bread-y goodness? Check out my eCookbook, “Quick Bread Love” — it makes a great gift, too!