This is Lemony Zucchini Bread with lemon glaze, lovely crunchy poppyseeds, fresh zucchini, olive oil, and greek yogurt for the BEST texture. And it's only 6 steps to make!
I love a good sweet dessert bread like Strawberry Banana Bread, but I wanted a zucchini bread variation that was desserty, dreamy brunch material. I wouldn't call it fluffy, this is loaf-cake style bread, with a pound cake texture. It's the perfect way to use zucchini.
Creamy glazed lemon zucchini bread is PERFECT for spring and summer with a little Honey Butter Spread on top, or a special little brunch. It's one of my favorite types of zucchini bread because it just oozes summer vibes. And did you know you can make zucchini bread with frozen zucchini?? That's my other favorite thing about this recipe!
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⭐️ Why We Love This Recipe
- Made with Greek yogurt - this makes it super moist and also helps the lift power of the baking powder with the acidic tart yogurt.
- No peeling required - there's no peeling required for this recipe! The peels of the zucchini cook down and you can't even tell they're there once the bread is baked.
- Uses up zucchini! When it's in season, this is a good bread recipe that can use fresh and frozen zucchini if you have a lot from your summer garden.
- Super flavorful - this bread is so bright and lemony, and the poppy seeds give it a delightful little crunch.
- The lemon glaze! Glazed zucchini bread is heavenly. You can always leave it off but it is so lovely.
🛒 Key Ingredients
Here's what we're working with. Every ingredient was chosen and tested to create the perfect combination of loaf height and flavor.
- Lemons - juice and zest. Zest the lemons FIRST, it's easier when they're whole versus sliced or juiced already.
- Oil - neutral flavored such as vegetable, olive, or canola work best. You could also use melted coconut oil.
- Greek Yogurt - plain unflavored, this along with the lemon juice helps create the acidity needed to lift the loaf while baking and makes it super moist!
- Zucchini - fresh or frozen, thawed, no need to drain or squeeze
- Flour - all purpose is best for this recipe, and it's easily accessible.
- Poppyseeds - for texture and crunch! You can leave them out if desired but they're DELICIOUS.
See recipe card below for full list of ingredients and instructions.
✏️ Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt - can be substituted with sour cream.
- Oil - can be substituted with melted butter or ghee. I find that a neutral oil gives it a better texture. Crisco or margarine is not recommended.
- Poppy seeds- can be omitted or replaced with chia seeds.
🧑🍳 Instructions
This is an easy lemon zucchini bread recipe because it's only 6 steps! Remember to preheat your oven and line the baking pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Prepare a bread pan by lining with parchment paper. Grate zucchini and set aside.
Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, greek yogurt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Whisk together until smooth.
Step 3. Add in the sugar, salt, flour, and baking powder, and poppyseeds and fold in.
Step 4. Add in grated zucchini and mix until just combined and there are no flour pockets left.
Step 5. Transfer batter to baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, then check doneness with an inserted toothpick. If clean, remove and cool for at least 30 minutes before icing.
Step 6. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Drizzle over the top of the loaf. Wait for 30-60 minutes for the glaze to dry a little before slicing, or serve fresh.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Make sure to thaw it completely, and do not drain. The moisture in the zucchini is necessary. For accurate measurements, weigh the zucchini to the correct amount listed in the recipe.
• Room Temp: 3 days in an airtight container
• Refrigerated: 7 days, it will dry out faster in the fridge however.
• Frozen: up to 3 months, leave off the glaze until ready to serve after thawing.
You can use either an 8 x4 x 2.5-inch pan or a 9x5 x 2.5-inch pan for the best results. An 8x4 pan will be a taller, less flat loaf.
No need to! The zucchini bakes into the bread and the peel is not noticeable at all. Peeling it is not necessary and is just more work.
Yes, you can make zucchini bread using yellow squash, just make sure the skin is soft and not tough, which can sometimes happen with home grown squash. If the skin is tough, you may need to peel them before grating.
⏲️ Baking Time
Baking time will vary with the type of bakeware used. Stoneware or glass will need a longer baking time, 60 minutes or more to bake, while darker or metal pans may only need 55-60 minutes.
For safety reasons, if you make the batter the night before and bake the lemon zucchini bread in the morning DO NOT place a cold glass or ceramic pan in a hot oven. Sudden heat on cold glass can cause it to shatter.
✏️ Top Tips
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal and easy cleanup!
- Weigh your zucchini and flour for accuracy to ensure you get the correct ratios. Too much or too little zucchini or flour could impact baking time.
- Don't skip the glaze!! It is what makes this bread *chefs kiss* perfect.
⏰ Make Ahead
It's easy to make this bread ahead of time! It can be made and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: Follow the recipe as directed, but do not make the icing. Bake and cool the bread completely, then transfer to an airtight freezersafe container or wrap tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and tinfoil.
Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature overnight. Then make the icing, glaze, and let the glaze set before slicing and serving.
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Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teasoons lemon zest (1 lemon)
- 4 Tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour (400 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons poppyseeds (20 g)
- 2 cups grated zucchini (270 g)
For the Glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1½-2 Tablespoons lemon juice add more for a thinner glaze.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Prepare a bread pan by lining with parchment paper. Grate zucchini and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, greek yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add in the sugar, salt, flour, and baking powder, and poppyseeds and fold in. Add in grated zucchini and mix until just combined and there are no flour pockets left.
- Transfer batter to baking pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, then check doneness with an inserted toothpick. If clean, remove bread and cool for 20-30 minutes on cooling rack before icing.
For the Glaze:
- In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. When loaf has cooled, drizzle over the top of the loaf. Wait for 30-60 minutes for the glaze to dry a little before slicing, or serve fresh.
TLH says
It is way too dense and has something chewy about it. Can’t figure it out.