Lemon Zucchini Bread

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This lemon zucchini bread recipe wonderfully moist and super quick to throw together. It’s great recipe to use up all that summer zucchini and you can freeze for later!

lemon zucchini bread cut in half


 

If you told me as an adult that I would be eating slice after slice of a bread made of vegetables. No wait. A zucchini bread, that’s also made with lemon I definitely would laughed at you.

Ok I was a polite kid. I would have smiled and laughed later as I listened to my N’Sync CD’s. Please don’t judge me. 

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And although I’m a sucker for the classic zucchini bread recipe, and some super easy Zucchini Bread Muffins, this time I decided to put a twist on things. Literally. A lemon twist! As I’ve gotten older I have grown quite a fondness for all things lemon. So I figured why not stir some fresh lemon zest and lemon juice into my zucchini bread. This lemon zucchini bread recipe is actually a fun twist on my zucchini bread recipe from my cookbook, Beginner’s Baking Bible.

I’m so glad my tastebuds grew up. My taste in music? Not so much. Still love me N’Sync. 

If you love berry-packed quick breads, be sure to try my Mixed Berry Quick Bread! Made with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, plus a lemon crumble topping, this easy recipe comes together in minutes and is perfect for freezing.

Why You Will Love This Lemon Zucchini Bread

  • Quick To Throw Together. You have to love a good quick bread recipe. No mixer is required. And they come together quickly. 
  • Delicious Way To Use Up Zucchini. Let’s face it if it’s summertime then zucchini reigns supreme. 
  • Can Make All Year Long. Ok, yes I love baking with zucchini in the summer. But this lemon zucchini bread is wonderful to make any time of year. 
  • Freezes Well. I love freezing my desserts. I love it so much I actually put together a handy dandy freezer guide for you. 

Ingredients Needed For The Bread

ingredients for zucchini bread

For the glaze:

  • Confectioners sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Vanilla
lemon zucchini bread sliced on a cutting board

How To Make This Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe

Step One: Preheat and prepare pan.

Preheat oven to 350oF. Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside. Or line with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper so I can easily lift the bread out of the pan. 

Step Two: Shred Your Zucchini.

I use a box grater but if you need to you can use a food processor. No need to wring it out. We want all that moisture!

bowl of shredded zucchini

Step 3: Combine dry ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. No need to sift her, just give it all a quick whisk. 

bowl of dry ingredients

Step 4: Combine wet ingredients.

In a second mixing bowl, whisk together  eggs, oil, sugars, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract. 

bowl of wet ingredients for lemon zucchini bread

Step 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula until just combined.

bowl of zucchini batter

Step 6: Fold in shredded zucchini. 

Just a couple quick stirs. You don’t want to overmix!

Note: I accidentally threw the zucchini into the wet ingredients in the video – oops but quick breads are forgiving! But otherwise, the zucchini is best to be mixed in at the end.

bowl of zucchini lemon bread batter

Step 7: Bake. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. 

lemon zucchini batter in a loaf pan

Step 8: Make The Glaze.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and pour over the bread.

sideways view of lemon zucchini bread sliced on a cutting board

Recipe Tips

  • Measure your flour accurately. I use the spoon and level method. You can learn how to measure your flour in this post.
  • Careful to not over mix. I like to use a spatula and fold in the dry ingredients by hand. You want to stop mixing once they have been incorporated. Too much mixing = too much gluten forming. Gluten is what will give a bread its chew, but for a banana bread you want less gluten to form. So we can accomplish that by making sure we don’t overmix!
  • Do not wring out the zucchini. Zucchini has a lot of moisture. But if you squeeze it out then it will result in a dry quick bread. That extra moisture is going to make for one moist bread!
whole lemon zucchini bread

Lemon Zucchini Bread FAQ’s

Do I need to wring out the zucchini?

Zucchini has a lot of moisture. But if you squeeze it out then it will result in a dry quick bread. That extra moisture is going to make for one moist bread! So just simply shred the zucchini  and add it to your bowl.

How do I store this bread?

I like to store mine at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Can I freeze this lemon zucchini bread?

I would freeze this bread without the glaze. You can freeze for your bread for up to 3 months, just be sure to wrap and store it well. I like to wrap mine in plastic wrap first. Then either in one more layer of foil or in a plastic bag.  To thaw it, I simply unwrap the bread and let it thaw at room temperature. Then glaze as normal.

Can I use a different oil?

I usually bake with vegetable or canola and I haven’t tested it with another kind. But I think coconut or olive oil would  work fine. You could also lighten it up with half applesauce in lieu of the oil (just make sure it’s unsweetened and not cinnamon).

lemon zucchini bread cut in half

More Recipes

Tools Needed To Make This Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe:

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Lemon Zucchini Bread

I love when it’s summertime and zucchini is in abundance. And zucchini bread, like this moist and delicious one, with lemon zest and fresh lemon juice is a great and easy way to use it up. .
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings (one 9×5 loaf)
Calories: 367kcal

Ingredients

For the bread:

  • 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (180 mL) vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups (297 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (300 g) shredded zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs. lemon zest about 2 lemons

For the glaze:

  • 1 ½ cups (170 g) confectioners sugar
  • 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350oF. Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Combine wet ingredients. In a second mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, sugars, and lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
  • Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula until just combined. Fold in zucchini.
  • Bake. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack.
  • Make the glaze. Mix all ingredients. In a mixing bowl with a whisk, combine confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, until smooth. You can additional juice, or water to thin out for the desired consistency.

Video

Notes

Do I need to wring out the zucchini?

Zucchini has a lot of moisture. But if you squeeze it out then it will result in a dry quick bread. That extra moisture is going to make for one moist bread!
So just simply shred the zucchini  and add it to your bowl.

How do I store this bread?

I like to store mine at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or you can freeze for your bread for up to 3 months, just be sure to wrap and store it well. I like to wrap mine in plastic wrap first. Then either in one more layer of foil or in a plastic bag. 
To thaw it, I simply unwrap the bread and let it thaw at room temperature. 

Can I use a different oil?

I usually bake with vegetable or canola and I haven’t tested it with another kind. But I think coconut or olive oil would  work fine. 
You could also lighten it up with half applesauce in lieu of the oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BostonGirlBakes or tag #BostonGirlBakes!


 

10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wonderful recipe, really delicious! So good on its own, I didn’t bother with the glaze. I already had a good basic zucchini bread recipe, but this year I wanted some variety. I was really happy to find this recipe!

    1. thanks April glad you loved the bread even without the glaze!

  2. 5 stars
    This bread is one of our favorites. Such a lovely and yummy recipe! I love having this recipe on hand!

    1. Aw thanks Beth glad you loved the bread!

  3. 5 stars
    Love how easy it is to make this bread – it’s just what I have been looking for to make this weekend!

    1. Wonderful Mahy 🙂 enjoy!

  4. Meenakshi Thakur says:

    5 stars
    This is exactly the kind of zucchini bread recipe I was looking for! Thanks a ton for the recipe.

    1. You’re welcome Meenakshi!

  5. 5 stars
    Love that this Zucchini bread requires no mixer! I can have a slice with a cup of tea! YUM

    1. Thanks Kechi! Yes I love no mixer recipes 🙂 Enjoy!

5 from 5 votes

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