I love lemon zucchini bread! Moist and tender, bursting with fresh lemon flavor, our take on classic zucchini bread is a delicious breakfast treat or afternoon snack.
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Our delicious lemon zucchini bread with a simple lemon glaze is my favorite quick bread recipe. It’s the perfect way to use up summer zucchini and will soon become one of your favorite zucchini recipes.
Lemon and zucchini are a flavor combination that takes quickbreads to a whole new level of deliciousness. I guarantee this will quickly become a family favorite and your go-to recipe for just about any occasion.
If you like our lemony zucchini bread, you’ll love our Lemon Strudel Muffins and Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake recipes.
Ingredients to make Lemon Zucchini Bread
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Lemon Zucchini Bread recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I add any other ingredients to the Lemon Zucchini Bread?
Yes, you can. Golden raisins, white chocolate chips, poppy seeds, pistachios, or walnuts would make great additions to the recipe. To change it up, add a streusel topping to the zucchini lemon bread.
Add blueberries to make my favorite blueberry lemon zucchini bread, or if you love chocolate, try my chocolate zucchini bread recipe.
How to Make Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan (or line it with parchment paper) and set aside until needed.
- Rinse the zucchini with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Grate the zucchini using a box grater.
*Don’t squeeze the water out of the shredded zucchini!
- Add the all-purpose flour, table salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a large bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Set aside until needed.
- Add the granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest to another large bowl.
- Rub the ingredients together with your fingers until fragrant.
*Use cup for cup gluten-free flour to make the lemon zucchini loaf gluten-free.
- Add the room temperature large eggs, vegetable oil, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the lemon sugar mixture.
- Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the lemon mixture.
- Stir just enough to combine. The batter will be thick.
- Add the grated zucchini to the batter.
- Fold just enough to combine.
*You can use mild olive oil, corn oil, or canola oil to make the lemon zucchini cake.
- Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl.
- Whisk the sweet lemon glaze until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Place the loaf pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place the loaf pan on a wire rack and let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan.
- Return the bread to the cooling rack to cool completely.
- Drizzle the sweet-tart lemon glaze over the cooled zucchini bread for an added burst of lemon flavor.
*Don’t overmix the batter when you add the dry ingredients. It’s okay to have a few lumps in the batter.
Wouldn’t our lemony zucchini bread make a perfect addition to your breakfast table? Our easy recipe is perfect for brunch, game day, and family get-togethers, and it even makes a delicious lemony dessert.
I love lemon desserts, and I know after one bite, you’ll agree that this is the best lemon zucchini bread you’ve ever tasted!
Leftovers can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or well-wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days or refrigerated for 5-6 days.
It freezes well. I wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. If I’m planning on keeping it in the freezer longer than a few weeks, I will also store it in a ziplock freezer bag. Stored this way, it can be kept frozen for up to three months.
Recipe FAQ’s
That’s a personal choice, but the skin has nutrients, and I always leave the skin on. If you’ve never grated zucchini before, it couldn’t be easier. Just use the large holes on a box grater to shred it. Don’t press or squeeze any of the excess moisture out of it. You want all the moisture and flavor for the bread.
Yes, you can. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, then fill each one to the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The yield will be 10-12 muffins.
Yes, you can. But freshly squeezed lemon juice makes a huge difference in the flavor. You can’t get that bright & fresh lemon flavor from bottled lemon juice.
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Lemon Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Zucchini Bread
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (you can also use cup for cup gluten-free flour)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large lemon – zested
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup zucchini grated
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cups confectioner's sugar
- 4 – 5 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan and set aside until needed.
- Rinse the zucchini with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Grate the zucchini using a box grater. *Don't squeeze the water out of the shredded zucchini!
Bread
- Add the all-purpose flour, table salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.
- Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to another large bowl and rub the ingredients together with your fingers until fragrant.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the lemon sugar mixture and stir until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the lemon mixture and stir until just combined, the batter will be thick.
- Add the zucchini and stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Place the loaf pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place the loaf pan on a wire rack and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Run a knife along the sides of the pan to loosen, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan.
- Return the bread to the wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled zucchini bread.
Henry T says
A great recipe I love zucchini bread and had never tried this version, It was really tasty and moist. Kids loved it too! (I didnt tell them it was zucchini bread haha) Thanks Chef!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re welcome, and thats wha tI like to hear!