Description

If you’ve got extra zucchini sitting on the counter (or hiding in your garden), this Lemon Zucchini Bread is exactly what you need. It’s soft, moist, and tastes like sunshine in loaf form—thanks to fresh lemon zest and juice both in the batter and the glaze. Every slice has that light, cake-like crumb that keeps you coming back for “just one more piece.” Bonus? This bread never sinks or bakes unevenly. Trust me, it’s a keeper.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt (sea salt or table salt both work)
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
½ cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 cup grated zucchini

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

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Instructions

Prep the pans & oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat either four mini loaf pans (6″x 3½”) or one standard loaf pan (9″x 5″) with nonstick spray. FYI: I prefer the mini loaves—they bake evenly and make perfect little gift loaves.
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Build the wet base
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), beat the eggs on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Add in the sugar and oil, then continue mixing until the mixture looks pale and fluffy—about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add flavor boosters
- Mix in the buttermilk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until everything is just blended together.
Combine wet and dry
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture along with the shredded zucchini. Use low speed or fold by hand—stop as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing is a no-go here.
Bake it
- Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pans. Bake mini loaves for 30–34 minutes or one large loaf for 45–50 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Another test: lightly press the top—it should spring right back.
Cool down
- Let the bread rest in the pans for about 15 minutes before transferring the loaves to a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing (trust me on this—warm bread = glaze meltdown).
Glaze it
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust thickness with a little extra sugar (if too thin) or more juice (if too thick). Drizzle over cooled loaves using a fork or transfer into a small plastic bag, snip the corner, and pipe for a pretty finish.

Notes

Recipe Notes & Tips

Zucchini prep: I usually peel my zucchini before grating, but leaving the peel on works fine too. If it looks watery after shredding, lightly blot with paper towels. No need to squeeze it bone dry—just avoid excess liquid.
Lemon love: You’ll need about two fresh lemons for both the batter and the glaze. Bottled lemon juice will technically work, but the flavor is brighter and fresher with the real deal.
Glaze option: Want a more subtle citrus note? Swap the lemon juice in the glaze for milk. You’ll still get a sweet finish, just with a gentler lemon punch.

Nutrition

Calories: 209 kcal
Sugar: 20 g
Sodium: 91 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 24 mg