Lemon Zucchini Bread

Published April 23, 2017. Updated November 9, 2018

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Lemon Zucchini Bread is one of my new favorite ways to use up all that summer zucchini! This is one of the brightest most flavorful loaves of quick bread and I can’t get enough of that sweet glaze! You don’t taste the zucchini it just adds an incredible moisture to the cake and adds some little green “sprinkles.” 

Everyone will love this tasty dessert bread!

Lemon Zucchini Bread on a rectangular white serving dish. Two slices are cut from the loaf and laying in front to show inside of loaf.

Lemon Zucchini Bread with a Sweet Lemon Glaze

Isn’t it always nice to find a new perfect use for zucchini? Even though I don’t grow zucchini I usually tend to keep it on hand during the spring and summer months.

I love using it for Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats, Lasagna Zucchini Boats, Soup, and I’m obsessed with covering it with cheese.

But basically the best thing you can do with zucchini is turn it into a dessert like these Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting or this purely irresistible Lemon Zucchini Bread!

Overhead image of 5 slices of yellow Lemon Zucchini Bread laying on green surface with fresh zucchini and lemons surrounding the bread slices.

I’ve actually had lemon zucchini bread on my to-try list for years but for some reason I just kept forgetting about it, but not today!

I had a bunch of zucchini in the fridge and a bunch of lemons so of course it had to happen and I’m so glad it did because I’m crazy about this bread!

Yes of course I started by eating just one slice but then every time I’d walk into the kitchen I couldn’t help but go and cut off another little piece.

It Even as It Sits

And it’s like banana bread, it gets even better after its sat in an airtight container for a few hours.

Close up image showing inside texture of Lemon Zucchini Bread.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar and powdered sugar
  • Lemons
  • Canola oil
  • Eggs
  • Plain Greek yogurt
  • Zucchini

How to Make Lemon Zucchini Bread

  • Preheat oven to 350. Butter and dust loaf pan with flour.
  • Whisk dry ingredients.
  • In an electric mixer mix sugar and zest  then blend in oil and eggs.
  • Blend in flour mixture alternating with greek yogurt and lemon.
  • Fold in zucchini and pour into loaf pan.
  • Bake until set.
  • Once nearly cool cover with lemon glaze.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

Even Kids Will Love It!

This bread has the perfect tender crumb, it has just the right amount of tart lemon and a nice blend of balance of sweetness to pair with it.

Everyone in my family loved this bread, kids included. And I always love their reaction to something like this when I tell them as they are eating it that it has zucchini in it.

I get some “ewwws” and funny looks but it’s so good they just keep eating and then request another slice the following morning to go along with their breakfast. Yep this is some good stuff I tell you!

Close up image of four slices of lemon zucchini bread.

Bread Recipes You’ll Love

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Lemon Zucchini Bread
4.95 from 20 votes

Lemon Zucchini Bread

This is one of my new favorite ways to use up all that summer zucchini! It has such a bright sunny flavor and I can't get enough of that sweet glaze! You don't taste the zucchini it just adds an incredible moisture to the cake and adds some little green "sprinkles." Everyone will love this bread!
Servings: 10 slices
Prep15 minutes
Cook45 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 (238g) cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (160g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
  • 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup plain (62g) Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup finely (150g) shredded zucchini, at room temperature (unpeeled or peeled if you don't want the green flecks)

Lemon glaze

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 by 4-inch loaf pan then lightly dust with flour and shake out excess, set aside. 
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix sugar with lemon zest for 30 seconds. Add in oil and eggs and mix until combined. 
  • Pour in half of the flour mixture then blend just until combined. Add in Greek yogurt and lemon juice and mix just until combined, then add in remaining half of the flour mixture and mix just until nearly combined.
  • Remove bowl from stand mixer, add zucchini and fold into mixture using a spatula. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 - 48 minutes.
  • Let cool in baking pan for a few minutes then invert into a wire rack to cool completely. Once loaf is nearly cool drizzle with lemon glaze. Store bread in an airtight container.
  • For the lemon glaze:
  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth (if it seems thin add a little more powdered sugar if it seems thick add a little lemon juice). Drizzle mixture over loaf and let set.
  • Recipe source: Cooking Classy
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Zucchini Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 294 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 33mg11%
Sodium 133mg6%
Potassium 186mg5%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Sugar 23g26%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 80IU2%
Vitamin C 5.9mg7%
Calcium 63mg6%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Leave a Comment

Rate this recipe




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

64 Comments

  • Ann Utley

    Delicious was easy to make light and very pretty this one is a keeper used 2 med squash.

    • Deb Howell

      I’ve made this several times, and love it! Today I added fresh blueberries…even better! Thank you!

  • Katie Laven

    Absolutely wonderful! I agree about the perfect tender crumb! It came out beautifully just as instructed, and I live at high altitude. Adding to my permanent collection.

  • Sierra

    This is such a delicious recipe! I’ve made it vegan by using chia eggs as an egg replacer and coconut cream from a can of coconut milk instead of yogurt. I love how dense it turns out (not a fan of cakey breads). It’s so good by itself that I haven’t even bothered to make the glaze! Maybe next time :)

  • Alexandra

    It’s really tasty on the dry parts, but middle mostly not cooked through…even though I’ve been cooking it for more than an hour…so it started to be almost brownish on top…what can be the problem?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Did you use the scoop and level method to measure the flour or a kitchen scale to ensure there was enough flour? Was the zucchini really wet? Does your oven normally bake properly? It could be a number of things sorry it gave you trouble!
      Also keep in mind with breads you can tent the top of the loaf with foil if it starts too get dark before the center is cooked through so it doesn’t burn.

  • Patricia Caliendo

    This recipe is delicious! I drained my salted grated zucchini overnight and then squeezed it in a tea towel until dry. I mixed this by hand with a wooden spoon and it came out great. Even here at altitude (5300 ft) it baked up fine. Nice texture. I tucked a few raspberries in the batter too!

  • Joyce lamb

    It tastes good, but it sank a bit after cooling on rack! Think I stirred the baking powder too much?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      It sounds like it might not have been cooked through in the middle. Either that or maybe a little more flour next time and like you say being careful not to over-mix. Hope that helps

  • Judy

    Delicious bread. Used sour cream instead of yogurt. Baked in a small Bundt pan, and it looked really pretty. Not too sweet which is good!

      • Tonya

        I made it exact to recipe but added lemon zest to the icing. It has a very bread pudding texture to it. I’m guessing the yogurt caused that. Very deliciously lemony