Incredibly tender Lemon Zucchini Bread with bright citrus flavor is the perfect loaf of quick bread to serve for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Drizzled with a sweet and tart lemon glaze, this easy to make zucchini bread recipe is a great way to use up your fresh summer’s bounty.
If you have a lot of zucchini from your garden or farmer’s market, this no-yeast quick bread is absolutely the best! The burst of lemon flavor is amazing, just like in my Lemon Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze!
Lemon Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread always stirs up memories of fun summer days, afternoons spent in the garden and all the beautiful produce the season has to offer.
Zucchini is a great addition to baked goods and desserts. Whether you are making this quick bread, a moist and decadent cake, breakfast muffins, simple cookies or rich and gooey brownies, zucchini keeps baked goods moist and adds a boost of nutrients to any recipe. Because of zucchini’s mild flavor, adding additional ingredients and flavorings is an easy task. Chocolate chips, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg or tangy lemon all turn any zucchini recipe into a masterpiece.
We all know about my great affection for all things lemon so it was only a matter of time until I made another lemon recipe to share with you all. This zucchini bread is light, tender and bursting with flavor from the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
Quick Lemon Zucchini Bread Ingredients
This recipe makes one loaf of zucchini bread. I can honestly say that as soon as you start smelling the aromas coming from the oven, you are going to wish you doubled the recipe and made two loaves of this bread instead.
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
- Zucchini: I usually get the Italian variety but any type will work.
- Oil: Mild oil like vegetable or canola oil.
- Lemon: Fresh lemons are the way to go. You will need both the juice and the zest.
- Eggs: I use large eggs.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar. Raw sugar can be used as well.
- Leavening and Flavoring: Baking Soda, baking powder and salt (I prefer Kosher or sea salt).
- For the Glaze: Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
How To Make Lemon Zucchini Bread From Scratch
- Grate the zucchini: Use the large holes of a box grater. You don’t need to peel it first. Squeezing the moisture off the grated zucchini is not necessary unless, for some reason, it seems too wet.
- Preheat the oven: Grease and flour a loaf pan.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, lemon zest, eggs, oil and lemon juice until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
- Fold in the zucchini: Gently fold the grated zucchini into the batter (aka sneak in the veggie!)
- Bake: Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool the quick bread completely before glazing.
- Glaze: Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice, then drizzle over the bread.
Do You Leave The Skin On Zucchini When Making Bread?
Yes, there is no need to peel the zucchini when making zucchini bread. The green specks add such a beautiful pop of color to the loaf as well as nutrients.
Do You Have To Dry Zucchini When Making Bread?
You usually don’t need to dry or wring liquid out of the grated zucchini when making bread, as long as you choose small to medium size zucchini. Large zucchini has a lot more moisture and often times they are a bit too wet.
What Type Of Zucchini Is Best For Baking?
Select small to medium size zucchini when baking. Large zucchini has a higher moisture content, less flavor and more seeds than the smaller ones.
Freezing And Storing
Zucchini lemon bread freezes well. I prefer freezing it without the lemon glaze drizzle. Cool the sweet bread loaf completely, wrap it with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. I like to then place the tightly wrapped bread in a resealable freezer-safe bag. Although this last step is not necessary, I feel better knowing there is no way my loaf will get dry or freezer burn. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
This bread keeps well on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Lemon Week
I am celebrating all things lemon this week with some of my foodie friends. Take a look at their delicious lemon recipes under the recipe card!
Lemon Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup oil, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup grated zucchini, unpeeled (see notes)
Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, lemon zest, eggs, oil and lemon juice until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Next, fold the zucchini into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the Glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the bread. Slice and serve.
Notes
- If the shredded zucchini seems too wet, place the zucchini in a cheese cloth or in a few sheets of paper towel and squeeze out some of the extra moisture.
- This recipe makes one loaf of zucchini bread.
Nutrition
Monday #LemonWeek Recipes
- Homemade Lemon Curd by Fresh April Flours
- Fresh Squeezed Homemade Lemonade by House of Nash Eats
- Lemon Dessert Sauce by That Recipe
- Chicken Picatta by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Lemon Sugar Cookies by SueBee Homemaker
- Strawberry Lemonade Rice Krispies Treats by The Spiffy Cookie
- Grilled Lemon Mojito by Our Good Life
- Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata by Our Crafty Mom
- Deep Eddy Lemonade Vodka Spritzer by Our Crafty Cocktails
- Meyer Lemon Scones by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Shortbread Lemon Tart by The Redhead Baker
- Sticky Lemon Oregano Chicken Recipe by Shockingly Delicious
- Garlic Lemon Pepper Rice by Daily Dish Recipes
- Crispy Lemon Chicken by Making Miracles
- South Indian Lemon Rice by Magical Ingredients
- Lemon Cookies by Devour Dinner
- Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken by Cheese Curd In Paradise
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