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This is a lemon zucchini bread recipe – a moist zucchini bread but with a burst of lemon flavor that tastes incredible. With the lemon glaze it’s one of our favorite zucchini recipes and you’re going to love it too. Best of all, it’s a simple one-bowl recipe that makes the most of your garden harvest.
If you’re in the mood for zucchini bread and lemon bread, why not marry the flavors? Quick bread is so easy to make and this zucchini lemon bread is no exception. This easy bread is soft and moist and bursting with lemon flavor – you’ll love it to use up al the zucchini you have in your garden (or from the grocery store, like me). I have been making this bread for years (I’m something of a zucchini bread connoisseur) and this is the perfect soft, sweet, and tart bread.
The secret to this loaf’s tender, airy crumb is the shredded zucchini, which provides moisture without any savory vegetable taste. I have developed this to be a true no-wring recipe: there is no need to squeeze the liquid out of your zucchini. That natural moisture is exactly what keeps the bread soft for days while allowing the bright lemon juice and zest to shine.
Zucchini Lemon Bread Ingredients
- Zucchini: I’m using freshly grated zucchini. Most recipes tell you to wring out zucchini, but for this lemon loaf, that moisture is essential for the soft texture. Only squeeze the liquid out if you are using thawed frozen zucchini, which can be extra wet.
- To maximize the citrus profile, this recipe uses both fresh lemon juice and zest. If you want an even stronger punch, add a few drops of lemon extract to the batter. Do not skip the lemon zest – that’s where 90% of the lemon flavor comes from.
- Oil: use a neutral oil like vegetable oil to keep the bread nice and moist.
- Baking soda and Baking powder: since we’re making bread and want it to be fluffy and airy, we’re using both baking powder and baking soda.
- For a tall, bakery-style domed top, use an 8×4-inch loaf pan. While a 9×5-inch pan works, it will result in a flatter, less-domed loaf.
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Dorothy’s Expert Quick Bread Tips
- I like to wash and shred my zucchini. No need to peel the skin off from the zucchini because the skin will melt away during the baking process.
- The lemon glaze is optional but packs a huge lemon flavor boost.
- If you’re using thawed frozen zucchini you might want to wring it out.
- You can turn these into zucchini muffins by baking in a muffin pan with liners for about 15-20 minutes.
- How to know when your bread is done baking: If your quick bread is soggy in the middle that means it wasn’t baked all the way – that’s also why it will fall in the center. Test for doneness right in the center crack, a toothpick will come out clean or with just a few dry crumbs.
Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup 119ml vegetable oil
- ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
- ¼ cup 50g brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups 186g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups approximately 152g shredded zucchini
For the glaze:
- ½ cup 57g Powdered Sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
- Add oil, both sugars, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Mix in baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in flour, mixture will be thick. Add zucchini and stir until combined – mixture will get looser and more pourable after stirring in zucchini.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes (9×5-inch pan) or 55-65 minutes (8×4-inch) pan, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
- Cool before adding glaze.
- To make glaze: whisk powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, adding more as needed for desired consistency. Drizzle over bread.
- Store covered for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Be sure to shred your own zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Do not drain or squeeze liquid out of the zucchini – you need the moisture to keep the bread moist.
- Sugar: I like the mix of brown and granulated but you can omit the brown sugar and use 1 cup granulated if you prefer.
- The 8×4-inch loaf will bake more domed, while the 9×5-inch pan will be flatter.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Zucchini Lemon Bread
Seriously the best zucchini bread I’ve ever made! We loved the lemon flavor and the glaze was a perfect touch! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing. Glad you like the recipe!
Definitely a 5 star quick bread!!! It was simple to make. The bread was delicious! Everyone loved it. I did change the drizzle on top from fresh lemon juice and 10x sugar to the 10x, lemon extract and a little water. Best recipe ever!!!
This is divine – hands down the best loaf I have ever tasted, never mind baked myself. Light, fluffy, moist, gorgeous crumb, incredible flavour – I will be making this for friends and family again and again. I was so impressed, I baked up the chocolate zucchini version – equally perfect. I have just one request – please develop a pumpkin zucchini version – and please hurry!! Canadian Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks!
Hi, Im going to try your Lemon Zucchini Loaf but the fat grams, I think, should be 10 g per slice not 1g. Half a cup of veg oil is 110 g divide by 10 slices is 10g of fat, right? thanks
Nutrition info is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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