Lemon Zucchini Bread
This moist lemon zucchini bread with a lemon icing on top is one of my favorite summer cakes. It’s my mom’s zucchini bread that I’ve added a tangy lemon twist to, and it’s an easy quick bread (loaf cake) that gets made over and over again.
Best Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe
Apparently the words “lemon” and “zucchini bread” are not as obvious a pairing as I originally thought they were.
My mom has a fabulous recipe for a classic zucchini bread that she used to make all the time when we were kids. It’s nothing short of ahh-mazing!
When getting said fabulous recipe, I mentioned how I was going to spice up the recipe with a little bit of lemony pizzazz, because, honestly, who doesn’t love lemon (you know, like Classic Lemon Bars, Lemon Blueberry Cream Tarts, Lemon Coconut Cake)… and she gave me the blankest stare I’d ever seen.
I have a small, almost minute, competitive streak. 😜 So when I saw the look on her face, all I could think about was proving her wrong (and all lemon zucchini non-believers) by making the best zucchini bread with a tangy lemon icing anyone has ever had.
What Makes This Lemon Zucchini Loaf The Best:
- Mom’s Recipe: Guys, mom knows best. She made the best banana bread growing up, the best pumpkin bread, and the best zucchini bread. The added lemon twist gives this a bit of a Starbucks lemon loaf cake vibe.
- Moist: The best thing about zucchini is that it makes the best moist bread recipes and moist cake recipes. There is nothing dry about this zucchini lemon loaf.
- Easy: While I love to bake, there is nothing better than a tried and true recipe you can whip up easily at a moment’s notice. This zucchini bread is that recipe. It’s why it’s referred to as a quick bread!
If you love zucchini as much as I do, try these baked zucchini desserts next: Coconut Lime Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Spice Cake, and Apple Zucchini Crumb Cake.
Ingredients:
- Canola Oil
- Greek Yogurt
- Lemon Juice and Zest
- Eggs
- Sugar
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder
- Salt
- Zucchini: You want to grate the zucchini so it’s in nice thing pieces.
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
How To Make This Zucchini Lemon Bread From Scratch:
- Step 1: Rub the lemon zest and sugar together. The coarse texture of the sugar will release the natural oils of the lemon zest, making the bread extra lemony.
- Step 2: Using a hand mixer or a standing mixer, cream the oil, greek yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon sugar together. Next, add in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, soft together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Step 5: Add in grated zucchini (you don’t need to squeeze any water out) and vanilla extract.
- Step 6: Divide the batter between two 8×4 bread pans (make sure the pans are well greased or lined with parchment paper).
- Step 7: Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
- Step 8: While the bread is cooling, whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar together. Once combined, drizzle the icing on top of the loaf cakes. Sprinkle a bit of zest over the top, if desired. Let set before slicing.
Storage Tips:
Store this lemon zucchini bread in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. If you want to freeze this bread, I suggest leaving the glaze off. Then freeze the bread in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, let the bread thaw overnight in the fridge and then top with the lemon icing.
Lemon Zucchini Bread Recipe Tips & Tricks:
- This zucchini bread recipe calls for both oil and greek yogurt. The oil keeps the bread nice and moist while the greek yogurt adds a nice texture to the lemon zucchini bread without making it too dense.
- The zucchini does need to be grated, and I find the best way to grate zucchini is with a standing box grater. Lots of people have success shredding zucchini in a food processor, but I’ve always used a standing box grater.
- You do not need to peel the zucchini before grating it. Just slice off one end of the zucchini, and carefully begin to grate it (be careful when you get to the end of your zucchini, as it can be super easy to accidentally cut your finger).
- Make sure you use fresh lemon juice (zest your lemon first, then slice it and squeeze it for lemon juice). For this recipe, you will need 1-2 large lemons.
Lemon Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 6 oz Greek Yogurt, lemon or vanilla
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups grated zucchini, about 1 large zucchini
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon
Topping (Optional)
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" bread pans with baking spray (or line with parchment paper).
- In a small bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together. The coarse texture of the sugar will release the natural oils of the lemon zest, making the bread much more flavorful.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer), cream together oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and sugar.
- Once combined, add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
- Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.
- Add in grated zucchini and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
- Once combined, divide batter evenly between the two bread pans.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool at least 10-20 minutes before removing each from the pans and placing on a cooling rack.
Glaze
- Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar together until well combined.
- With the bread on the cooling rack, pour glaze over the bread.
Topping
- Sprinkle zest over the top of the glaze.
Notes
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Meet Michelle
I’m a self-taught baker who truly believes it’s impossible to be upset when eating dessert. It’s my life’s goal to bake everyone happy!
If I’m not baking, I’m probably reading a good book with a cup a coffee in hand.
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here!
I have been making this bread for a few years now and it is my absolute favorite! I always use the zucchini from my garden. Today on my second batch I added 1 cup of blueberries I had in the fridge. Hoping it is just as good!
We have SO many zucchini from our garden, this recipe was perfect for us! We love the Lemon Zucchini bread and have made extra loaves to give to friends and neighbors! I started making the mini loafs so I make 4 at a time with one batch. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. This one is an absolute winner in our book!
We are experiencing a shortage of lemon yogurt, even lemon Greek yogurt, in my area. Used Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Lemon Tart with 15 G of protein. I also used King Arthur GF flour. Batter was a “gummy” texture. Wasn’t sure if the protein was too high with GF flour?? Tasted wonderful. Came out flat loaves. Recipe doesn’t call for much baking powder. Everyone loved the taste!!
This was excellent. I used all yellow squash and cut the sugar to one cup..
I love this recipe. I’m now making more loafs for friends and plan on freezing a couple. it’s so delicious!
Anyone ever subbed all applesauce for all the oil? I’ve been doing this for cookies and they’re better than original!!
I just made this yesterday and subbed applesauce in place of all the oil. I used 1:1 ratio. Came out amazing and super moist!
I love this! This my new favorite! The bad part is I can not leave it alone till it is gone!
Wow, I wasn’t expecting it to be fluffy and light. I made this recipe as muffins, I don’t have a loaf pan. Love this, next time I will add more lemon juice to the batter. This is a great recipe, I really enjoyed making this easy recipe, and loved how it turned out. I squeezed the excess fluids out of the zucchini, maybe that’s why the consistency is more spongy? Spongy but moist btw.
I made this for a bake sale and one person bought all the slices and then asked for the recipe. It’s sooo good! I will definitely be making again and again. Did not change a thing.
This bread is soooo good! I gave some to my daughter, who is a lemon lover, and she told me to throw out all the recipes I had for lemon bread and just continue to make this one…My family loved it! Thanks for sharing1
I usually make regular zucchini bread for my family and we love it! I wanted to change it up and try this lemon zucchini bread! OH boy!! What a hit!! My girls loved it and my husband devoured it! Thank you for sharing!! I have a whole extra loaf to eat. Does it freeze well?
I just made this and it turned out so delicious! The lemon adds such a nice tang. So good!
For my first time ever making zucchini bread, I think did alright. This recipe was so easy and even more delicious than expected. I did make one addition, I added about one cup of fresh blueberries.
I made this recipe because of all the recipes I looked at, this one seemed to be what I wanted. I am soooo happy I did! Best zucchini bread ever! Had a few of my neighbors try it and they liked it too and some wanted the recipe! So moist and flavorful and easy to make! I wish it had the nutrition facts with it however. I usually like to put with the recipe. Anyway it was so good. I made two more
loaves the next day! My husband is not a big bread eater,, but he loves this and does not want me to share anymore! I followed the recipe as it is and all was really, really good!!
This is the best ever zucchini loaf I’ve ever tasted! It will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing this.
I am experienced cook who has used many different recipes for all different types of zucchini bread. My husband and I agree yours is the yummiest of them all. Who would have “ thunk” to combine lemon and zucchini for this moist, tasty, beautiful bread. Just as written – wonderful!
I made the lemon zucchini bread for the first time a few weeks ago, it was loved by everyone who tried it so I have made several more loaves since then and will continue to bake it. Love, love, love it!
I also wanted to share with you that I told my sister in Belgium about your recipe and she has since then baked it and shared it with her neighbors who gave her the fresh zucchini. Now, the neighbors want your recipe too. 😊
Just WOW! Raves all around and voted the BEST of 3 different zucchini breads. Hubby said I can forget all the others and just make this one! 4th batch and have made some modifications. Using Ff sour cream as I always have that on hand. Cut sugar down to 1 cup and increased lemon juice to 4 Tbsp. to make it a little more zingy! This recipe is VERY forgiving. It make 6 mini loafs which take about 30 minutes to bake at 350. The glaze makes it super yummy and I am freezing extras. Also made GF version which got rave reviews.
I am very pleased with this recipe. The flavors are wonderful together. The bread is moist. It’s a delightful treat.
Excellent light lemon flavored zucchini bread. Just the perfect bread for a summer morning breakfast treat or evening dessert.
Good! Doubled the lemon juice and lemon zest since I love lemon flavor. Thank you for the recipe..
I just finished “sampling” and its as delicious as I hoped!! I did add extra lemon and zest because we love lemon kick! A must try!!
I made this bread and it is delicious. Very moist and lemony. Will be making it again and again. Thank you for the recipe
I have gotten many compliments on this recipe. I normally reduce the sugar to 1.5 cups, use plain greek yogurt, all the lemon zest from one lemon and don’t worry about the glaze.
I’ve first found this recipe on Pinterest last summer (while looking for more unique zucchini breads) and have made it several times since then!
Some changes I’ve made:
I first tried the recipe by cutting it in half (using 2 eggs) to make just 1 loaf. We loved the texture so much that now I always use 4 eggs for the full recipe!
I also use my homegrown yellow summer squash so it’s really pretty and leveled up the lemon flavor even more by adding a dash of lemon extract to the glaze, as I found it super sweet & tart (but not that lemony) when using only the juice & sugar that first time.
This last batch, I decided to experiment with the second half of the batter, adding chopped walnuts and shredded coconut into the mix before filling the second pan – just for something different!
You really can’t go wrong with this recipe and I crave it as soon as summer kicks in, so thank you very much Michelle!!
I had SO MANY ZUCCHINI from my garden, I decided to try this & it was absolutely incredible! The only thing I did differently was mixed the zest in with the sugar to bring out the oils, and added 2x the amount of vanilla that it calls for (we love vanilla lol) it
baked 2 loafs and shortly after I tasted how amazing it is I doubled the recipe & made 2 more loafs, 4 mini loads (39 mins) & 6 muffins (18mins) thanks for a delicious recipe It’s a keeper!
I had SO MANY ZUCCHINI from my garden, I decided to try this & it was absolutely incredible! The only thing I did differently was mixed the zest in with the sugar to bring out the oils, and added 2x the amount of vanilla that it calls for (we love vanilla lol) it
baked 2 loaves and shortly after I tasted how amazing it is I doubled the recipe & made 2 more loaves, 4 mini loaves (39 mins) & 6 muffins (18mins) thanks for a delicious recipe It’s a keeper!
sooooogood. I have been making zucchini bread for 40 years and this just takes it up a notch!
Delicious recipe, I have made it several times and gotten rave reviews! Only tweak I did was to add the zest to the glaze before pouring it over the loaves. When I sprinkled it over the glaze, it quickly dried, shriveled up and turned brownish after a few hours. 🙂
Very yummy! A hit with hubby and friends! With two loaves, it is great to share. Only change I made was to add lemon zest to glaze ingredients rather than sprinkle it on top of the glaze…doing it after resulted in zest drying out and turning brown which didn’t seem to affect the taste, but it didn’t look good.