Lemon Zucchini Bread

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.

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Yield: 2 loaves or 4 mini loaves

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

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*

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• yellow food coloring, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans (I used 4 mini loaf pans) and set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, and eggs. Mix in lemon zest, vanilla, and sour cream, beat to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in zucchini just until combined.
5. Divide batter between pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Glaze

1. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and food coloring if using to create a thin glaze.
2. 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