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Calling all lemon lovers! This Lemon Zucchini Bread is super tender and moist, and full of tart lemon flavor, from the first bite to the last! It’s a summer favorite; enjoy a slice for breakfast, a snack or even as a dessert.

a loaf of lemon zucchini bread with three slices cut

When it comes to adding more vegetables to my family’s eating habits, it’s pretty much an uphill battle. If they even get a hint that there might be vegetables in a dessert, all bets are off.

Enter this delicious Lemon Zucchini Bread. It’s a total game changer.

My husband, the self-proclaimed anti-vegetable-unless-it’s-corn guy, LOVED this bread. Even told me it may be his favorite that I’ve ever made. Take that anti-vegetable guy.

How To Make Lemon Zucchini Bread

When writing up the recipe for the quick bread, I basically tweaked my Grandma’s Zucchini Bread recipe and added a super yummy, sweet and tart glaze. The bread itself is incredibly moist thanks to the added buttermilk, and has a mild lemon flavor that is amped up by the tart glaze.

a loaf of lemon zucchini bread with a sweet lemon glaze and lemon zest

See that glaze? Doesn’t it look mouth-watering??

So the bread has a good bit of lemon juice and lemon zest in it, and the buttermilk helps to kind of amplify the tartness. You don’t even need to slather butter on this bread, it’s so moist!

What is quick bread?

A Quick Bread is just like the name sounds – a loaf of bread, usually sweet, that’s made quickly and typically in about an hour. It doesn’t require yeast as the leavening agent is usually baking powder. Quick breads are often interchangeable with muffin recipes and are quite similar to muffins in density and tenderness.

a loaf of lemon zucchini bread with two slices cut

Tips for a fabulous Lemon Zucchini Bread

  • Lemons – Be sure to use fresh, room temperature lemons. Roll them on the countertop with your hand to release the most juice. Meyer lemons are sweeter, but they’re not necessary for this lemon bread recipe. Regular grocery store lemons will work just fine.
  • Zucchini – There is no need to peel or squeeze any liquid out of the zucchini; just grate using a cheese grater until you have about 1 cup. A little more won’t hurt anyone. One medium zucchini will yield just enough for one loaf of Lemon Zucchini Bread.
  • Use parchment paper (aff) and cool completely in the pan. When baking quick breads, I always place a strip of parchment across the bottom. This works in two ways – it keeps the bread from sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan, and it creates handles on the side for easy lifting once the bread is cooled.

a loaf of lemon zucchini bread with three slices cut and some squeezed lemons on the side

More Zucchini Recipes

More Lemon Recipes

Recipe
A slice of lemon zucchini bread

Lemon Zucchini Bread

4.67 from 3 votes
Calling all lemon lovers! This Lemon Zucchini Bread is super tender and moist, and full of tart lemon flavor, from the first bite to the last! It's a summer favorite; enjoy a slice for breakfast, a snack or even as a dessert. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 Slices

Ingredients
  

Bread:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1 cup zucchini grated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Glaze:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
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Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the sides of 8 or 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the middle of the pan with parchment paper that goes up two sides.
  • In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine oil, buttermilk, sugar, eggs and lemon juice and zest at medium speed; about 30 seconds. Stir in zucchini.
  • In a separate medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Stir into the wet mixture, just until combined.
  • Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  • For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour evenly over cooled loaf. Garnish with more lemon zest, if desired.

Notes

  • Lemons – Be sure to use fresh, room temperature lemons. Roll them on the countertop with your hand to release the most juice. Meyer lemons are sweeter, but they’re not necessary for this lemon bread recipe. Regular grocery store lemons will work just fine.
  • Zucchini – There is no need to peel or squeeze any liquid out of the zucchini; just grate using a cheese grater until you have about 1 cup. A little more won’t hurt anyone. One medium zucchini will yield just enough for one loaf of Lemon Zucchini Bread.
  • Use parchment paper (aff) and cool completely in the pan. When baking quick breads, I always place a strip of parchment across the bottom. This works in two ways – it keeps the bread from sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan, and it creates handles on the side for easy lifting once the bread is cooled.
Keyword lemon zucchini bread, zucchini bread

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 284kcal

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of "Yellow Bliss Road" is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

a loaf of lemon zucchini bread collage with two images and text

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. LaShaunda Myers says:

    This sounds delicious. Can I substitute sour cream for the buttermilk?

    1. Kristin Maxwell says:

      Yes that would work.

  2. Jane says:

    Hi, Kristen, we really like your recipes, but a calorie count would be very helpful! We both watch our weight. Thank you!

    1. Kristin says:

      Unfortunately since I am not a nutritionist I am not always able to provide nutritional information for each recipe. However there are great sites out there, like myfitnesspal.com, that can help.
      Thanks for sharing your feedback.

  3. Mary Malcom says:

    I hope I have written correct, my printer needs cartilage. Sounds great. Mary Malcom