The bread is soft, moist and the cream cheese layer is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into zucchuni  bread. It’s an easy, no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. I use melted coconut oil so there’s no mixer to dirty and oil keeps bread softer and springier than butter. Coconut oil adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but substitute if desired. The big river of cream cheese is thick, bold, unmistakeable, and really makes this bread out of this world.

Ingredients

Bread

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla
• 2 cups grated fresh zucchini
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 8-1/4 ounce can crushed pineapple
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup coarsly chopped pecans
• 1 cup raisins

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces softened brick-style cream cheese (lite is okay)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Praline Pecan Streusel

• 2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons butter, melted
• Dash of  salt
• 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Spray one 9×5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
3. Bread – In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Stir in the grated zucchini
5. Stir in the pineapple and then the coconut oil.
6. Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder and salt over the mixture and stir it in.
7. Add the flour, a third at a time, stirring after each incorporation.
8. Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg over the batter and mix.
9. Fold in the nuts and raisins.
10. Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the tstrop lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside.
11. Cream Cheese Filling – In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
12. Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
13. Top with remaining batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary.
14. Praline Pecan Streusel –– Stir together brown sugar, butter, salt in a small bowl; add flour and pecans, and stir until blended. Let stand 20 minutes or until mixture is firm enough to crumble into small pieces.
15. Sprinkle pecan streusel over top of batter.
16. Bake for about 48 to 50 minutes or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test isn’t the most accurate.
17. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
18. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving

Baking Tip

Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 30 minute-mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of zucchini, cream cheese, climate, and oven variances.