Description
Homemade lemon zucchini bread brings together tangy citrus and garden-fresh zucchini in a delightful quick bread. Moist crumb and bright flavor make this recipe a perfect summer treat that you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) shredded zucchini
- 1 cup (240 ml) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsps (30–45 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a light coating of oil or butter.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl, whisking thoroughly to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Wet Ingredient Symphony: In a separate large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until achieving a smooth, well-integrated mixture.
- Zucchini Integration: Fold the grated zucchini into the wet ingredients, creating a uniform green-flecked batter that promises moisture and texture.
- Batter Composition: Delicately incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, using minimal strokes to maintain the bread’s tender crumb – mix just until the flour disappears.
- Pan Transformation: Pour the vibrant batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to create an even landscape.
- Baking Ritual: Position the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, watching for a golden-brown exterior and testing doneness with a toothpick that emerges clean.
- Cooling Protocol: Let the bread rest in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing flavors to settle and structure to stabilize.
- Glaze Finale: Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until achieving a drizzle-friendly consistency, then cascade the glaze over the cooled bread, allowing it to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Prevent Soggy Texture: Remove excess moisture from grated zucchini by gently squeezing with a clean kitchen towel to maintain bread’s ideal texture and prevent waterlogging.
- Zest Selection Matters: Use fresh, bright lemon zest from organic lemons for maximum flavor intensity and avoid bitter white pith when zesting.
- Mixing Technique Critical: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture with minimal strokes to preserve air pockets, ensuring a light, tender crumb without developing tough gluten strands.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: Substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to maintain structural integrity and replicate traditional bread texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg