A moist, tender lemon quick bread loaded with peeled and grated zucchini so no one will ever no they’re eating veggies.
My garden is still keeping me well stocked with zucchini and I’m still whipping up delicious zucchini breads. I was trying to think of a fun new flavor to bake when I saw Kristen’s, Dine and Dish, Sinful Lemon Cake. She talked about baking lemon cake because “summer needs it’s last hurrah.” That was all the inspiration I needed. There would be one last hurrah at my house too.
This recipe was adapted from my favorite Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipe. I was out of plain Greek yogurt so I substituted light sour cream.
Feel free to substitute Greek yogurt or regular sour cream in the recipe if you prefer.
I peeled the zucchini for the lemon version. You don’t need to peel it, but I wanted it to look like bright summer sunshine. It’s drizzled with a simple lemon glaze that doubles the great lemon flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup light sour cream
- 3 cups grated zucchini, peeled*
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- yellow food coloring, if desired
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans (I used 4 mini loaf pans) and set aside.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, and eggs. Mix in lemon zest, vanilla, and sour cream, beat to combine.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in zucchini just until combined.
- Divide batter between pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
- Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and food coloring if using to create a thin glaze. Drizzle over the top of loaves when cool. (Add more or less lemon juice to get the right consistency.)
- (Bake mini loaves for 30 – 35 minutes or muffins for 18 minutes.)
Notes
*Tip: I like to use a salad spinner to spin out excess water in the zucchini. You could also wrap it in towel and squeeze out excess water.
More zucchini bread recipes you might like:
Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins, Barbara Bakes
Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, How Sweet It Is
Zucchini Coconut Bread, Two Peas and Their Pod
Chocolate Wave Zucchini Bread, Taste and Tell
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
I love lemon zucchini bread!
Beautiful! Those looks so moist and delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa
That’s a great recipe idea! I made 4 loaves of zucchini bread over the weekend. It’s so good and freezes well.
Zucchini bread is delicious and this recipe looks great. The slices look moist and your tips for removing the excess liquid are helpful.
Love the sound of this. I am wondering if I could use Stevia granulated to make the glaze. Might have to try it!
I am seriously drooling over this! Lemons are one of my favorite things – ever – and I’m always game for zucchini bread!! (Thanks for the link as well!)
Last hurrah indeed–despite the fact that I’ve got pumpkin pie bars posted this week, I’m still hoarding the last of those zucchinis and summer berries in a desperate attempt to deny autumn’s arrival. Guess we might as well go out with a bang–thanks for sharing!
What a great way to use up those zucchini. Love the lemon flavor in this bread.
Can I eat some of this on my ridiculous 17 Day Diet?! I love this.
This looks fabulous! I love lemon!
Barbara-that bread is so pretty….it looks like sunshine. Our garden is still pumping out zucchini too…….I think I’ll be making some of this real soon. We love all things lemon here-and what a great way to eat your vegetables.
Thanks so much!
Lovely.
I adore zucchini! And w/ Lemon…Oh My! Even better! Xx
The glaze on these looks especially delicious! YUM!
This is one of the most mouth-watering, beautiful ‘glaze’ photos I’ve ever seen! Gemius to add lemon to a zucchini bread..or is it add zucchini to a lemon bread? It looks tobe the former, but I’ll take it in any form! Beautiful, Barbara!!
These are some of the most mouth-watering, beautiful ‘glaze’ photos I’ve ever seen! Genius to add lemon to a zucchini bread..or is it add zucchini to a lemon bread? It looks to be the former, but I’ll take it in any form! Beautiful, Barbara!!
Gorgeous! I hope you freeze your zucchini for winter bread? Grate and freeze the grated zucchini in two cup measures in freezer bags and then dump everything, including water into the mix when you thaw it. I have enough for holidays gifts and more…it’s ESPECIALLY good for those monster guys that get away from you!
I believe yummalicious is the word!!
Yummy! This bread looks delicious Barbara, I do love lemon anything.
Lemon cake with added veges? Sounds perfect! Yum! I wish I had success with my zucchinis. I think I got one baby one last time I attempted to grow them. The rest died before they could grow big enough to be eaten
Oh my! Your Bread photos and recipe sound so good.
My Grandmother used to make Zucchini Bread, and I loved it!
I love hidden veggies!
I have only made chocolate chip zucchini bread. This sound delicious. Thanks.
In the recipe directions you state to combine all the dry ingredients including baking powder but in your list of ingredients there is no baking powder. Is there supposed to be baking powder in it? If so, how much? Thanks.
Hi Kristina – sorry, no there isn’t any baking powder in the recipe. I’ve corrected the recipe. Thanks for letting me know. Hope you enjoy it.
Then lemon glaze looks amazing drizzling down the sides:) Delicious!
Zucchini and lemon were just meant to be! I love the the lemony glaze on top!
Delish! Love the comb of zucchini and lemon.
i just love that glaze dripping off the bread. i LOVE any baked goods with lemon or zucchini. it’s genius to combine the two!
Wow! What a great way to turn an old standby into something quite spectacular!
I’m in a quick bread baking mood. It’s just something about this time of year that does it to me. Love the lemon glaze!
Oooh good way to bake some of that extra zucchini, and that glaze looks amazing. I love lemon glaze.
Love zucchnini bread! My mother-in-law bakes a lot of those.
Wow, this really seems to be the month for fabulous quick breads! I love using zucchini in baking now and then but have never thought to use it with lemon in a bread like this. It just looks absolutely wonderful. Seems like it’s almost always hidden in chocolate cakes, or spicy quick breads. I love your choice, and happen to have a fresh zuke waiting in my fridge . . .
What a beautiful bread! It looks so moist and delicious. I’m always happy to have a new recipe for zucchini and this one goes to the top of the list of those to try.
This is a different take on zucchinis. I can imagine zucchinis taste very good in cakes or bread, although I have never used them in sweet recipes, I surely have to try it one of these days. I must say the pictures look delicious.
I’m pretty sure this would brighten any day! It looks delicious and I love the glaze!
I love the idea of combining zucchini and lemon. This is indeed a great way to usher out summer!
It is at the end of summer that zucchini becomes tiresome and boring. A touch of lemon is sure to brighten baking with too much good a good thing! What a tempting recipe!
Hi Barbara,
Just wanted to say that I made this bread this evening, and it was SO AMAZING. Thanks for the great recipe! I’ll be making this again.
Thanks Jennifer! So glad you took the time to let me know.
A last hurrah a princess needs. Wish I could get zucchini down here in Buttermilk Springs, perhaps I could query the royal gardener? The Pictures are beautiful and I’m sure it tasted even better!
May all your royal adventures be yummy and sugary sweet,
The Teen Princess of Buttermilk Springs
lemon and zucchini- now that is a great combination. Fresh and Sweet. What a wonderful surprise this would be for breakfast.
I have to make this! I love lemon, anything lemon and this looks perfect and lemony! But why did I never think to peel the zucchini? Son won’t eat anything with those green flecks in it and I love zucchini bread. Another great recipe, Barbara!
This looks amazing not like your typical zucchinni bread. Stopping by SRC FB group. I host a recipe linky every friday hope you will visit me then!!
Gorgeous! So excited to make this!