Lemon Zucchini Bread

The first slice never makes it to the cooling rack in my kitchen. Not once.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This Recipe
• What You Need For Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• How To Make Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Storage And Reheating
• My Tips And Ideas For Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Lemon Zucchini Bread FAQ
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion

Lemon zucchini bread started here as a rescue mission. My neighbor down the hall grows zucchini on a rooftop plot, and last July she left three enormous ones outside our apartment door with a note that said good luck.

Three cups of grated zucchini later, I had a loaf that smelled like lemon curd and cake batter. Alex ate two slices standing at the counter before I could even cut a third.

Sarah asked if we could make it again the next morning. We did.

Here is what makes this loaf work so well. The zucchini almost disappears into the batter and keeps every slice soft, while the olive oil gives it a tender crumb that holds for days. The zest from two lemons does the real work, so you taste actual lemon instead of a faint hint of it.

You can skip the glaze or pour it on thick. Both ways turn out great.

If you still have squash sitting on your counter after this, my chocolate zucchini bread uses up another two cups and tastes like a brownie in loaf form. I keep both recipes taped inside my cabinet door all summer.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• Simple mixing. One bowl for the wet ingredients, one for the dry, and no mixer needed.
• About 20 minutes of actual work. The oven handles the rest while you do something else.
• Real lemon taste. Fresh zest from two lemons, plus a little juice in the glaze.
• Soft, moist crumb. It still tastes fresh on day three, which almost never happens with quick breads.
• Sneaky vegetables. My kids have eaten a whole loaf without once asking what was in it.
• Everyday ingredients. Flour, sugar, eggs, oil, and a couple of lemons.

What You Need For Lemon Zucchini Bread

Here is everything for one 9 by 5 loaf, which gives you 12 slices.

• 3 cups grated zucchini, about 2 to 3 medium zucchini
• ½ cup brown sugar, loosely packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Grated zest of 2 large lemons
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, vegetable or canola oil works too
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, optional

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

A few notes from my own testing. Olive oil sounds odd in a sweet loaf, but it makes the crumb softer than butter does, and you cannot taste it once the lemon comes through.

Brown sugar keeps things moist, so please do not swap both sugars for white. I tried that on a Sunday and the loaf came out drier and a little plain.

The poppy seeds are there for texture and looks. Sarah likes the little speckles, Alex picks the whole thing apart if I add too many, so I stick with two tablespoons.

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How To Make Lemon Zucchini Bread

I broke this into short steps so you can follow along with sticky hands.

Squeeze The Zucchini First

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Grate the zucchini, then pile it into a few paper towels or a thin dish towel. Wring it out over the sink until the liquid stops running. You will be surprised how much water comes out.

Set the squeezed zucchini aside. Skipping this step is the number one reason quick breads come out gummy in the middle.

Get The Pan Ready

Line a 9 by 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the long sides.

That overhang works like handles later. Nonstick spray works fine too, just be generous with it.

Mix The Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth and pale.

Now pour in the olive oil slowly while you keep whisking. Adding it all at once leaves you with an oily puddle on top, and I know because that is exactly what I did the first time.

Stir the squeezed zucchini into this bowl until it is coated.

Add The Dry Ingredients

In a second bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and poppy seeds.

Add the dry mix to the wet mix in two additions. Fold gently with a spatula and stop as soon as the flour disappears.

Overmixing makes the loaf tough and a bit rubbery. Lumps are fine here.

Bake And Cool

Pour the batter into your lined pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast around the 45 minute mark, lay a piece of foil loosely over it.

Let the loaf sit in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment and cool it on a rack. Glazing a warm loaf gets you a sticky puddle, so please wait.

Make The Lemon Glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar with the fresh lemon juice until it pours off the spoon in a thin ribbon.

Too thick? Add lemon juice half a teaspoon at a time. Too thin? A spoonful more powdered sugar fixes it.

Drizzle it over the cooled loaf and let it set for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Storage And Reheating

Store the loaf at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I slide a paper towel under it to catch any moisture from the zucchini.

The fridge keeps it going for about a week, though the crumb firms up a little. Twenty seconds in the microwave brings it right back.

For longer storage, wrap slices individually in plastic, then put them in a freezer bag. They keep for 3 months and thaw on the counter in about 30 minutes.

Honestly, day two tastes better than day one. The lemon settles into the crumb overnight and the whole slice tastes brighter.

My Tips And Ideas For Lemon Zucchini Bread

Want to know the mistake I made three times before I learned? I left the zucchini wet.

Here is what actually helps.

• Grate on the large holes of a box grater. Fine shreds turn to mush.
• Zest the lemons before you juice them. Zesting a squeezed lemon half is a small nightmare.
• Rub the zest into the sugars with your fingers for 10 seconds. It wakes up the oils and doubles the lemon taste.
• Swap the poppy seeds for 1 cup of blueberries tossed in a spoonful of flour.
• Add ½ cup chopped white chocolate if you want it closer to dessert.
• Bake the batter in 12 muffin cups for 22 to 25 minutes instead.

One thing to watch. Loaf pans vary, and a dark metal pan bakes faster than glass. Start checking at 55 minutes if yours is dark.

If your slices sink in the middle, the loaf came out too early. Give it another 5 minutes next time and trust the toothpick over the clock.

Lemon Zucchini Bread FAQ

Do You Need To Peel Zucchini Before Making Lemon Zucchini Bread?

No, and I never do. The skin is thin, it softens completely while baking, and it gives the slices those little green flecks that make the loaf look homemade.

Just wash the zucchini well and trim off both ends. If yours is huge and the skin feels tough under your thumbnail, peel it and scoop out the seedy center.

Should You Squeeze The Liquid From Zucchini?

Yes, and this is the step that matters most. Three cups of grated zucchini can hold close to half a cup of water.

Leave it in and the center stays wet no matter how long you bake. I wring mine out in a dish towel until barely a drop comes out, then fluff it with my fingers before it goes into the batter.

How Do You Keep Lemon Zucchini Bread Moist?

The olive oil and brown sugar do most of that work for you. Oil stays soft at room temperature in a way butter does not.

The rest comes down to not overbaking. Pull the loaf when the toothpick shows moist crumbs, not when it comes out bone dry. Then store it in an airtight container once it has cooled all the way.

Can Lemon Zucchini Bread Be Frozen?

It freezes beautifully. Cool the loaf completely, skip the glaze, then wrap it tightly in plastic and foil.

Whole loaves keep for 3 months. I usually freeze half of one in slices so Donald can grab a piece before work. Thaw on the counter, then glaze if you want it fresh.

Recipes You May Like

• Moist cottage cheese banana bread for another soft loaf that uses up fruit sitting on your counter.
• Gluten free lemon crinkle cookies when you want that same lemon hit in cookie form.
• Cranberry orange bread for the cooler months, with citrus zest doing the same job.

Conclusion

So that is my lemon zucchini bread, from squeezing the zucchini dry to that last drizzle of glaze.

Grate, wring, whisk, fold, bake, cool, drizzle. Seven steps and one loaf pan.

I love this one because it started as a way to use up a gift from a neighbor and became the loaf my kids ask for by name every July. Simple ingredients, real lemon, nothing complicated.

Give it a try this week and let me know how yours turns out in the comments. Save it to Pinterest so you have it ready when the zucchini shows up.