A tangy, sweet lemon (zucchini) treat! It’s zucchini season once again, and if you’re like me, you already have plenty in your garden- or someone has “gifted” you some on your porch. My lemon poppy seed zucchini bread is such a delicious treat and the perfect way to use all that zucchini. This bread is so tangy and sweet that it could be called cake. The texture is moist and dense, and the glaze adds an extra lemony flavor—store slices in the fridge for a cool summer dessert or the perfect treat with your morning coffee.
Belle’s Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest (zest from 1 large lemon)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 cups lightly packed shredded zucchini
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
For the glaze
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice or a mixture of lemon juice and milk (or cream) to thin
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan. I also line mine with parchment paper for easy removal after baking. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar until well combined. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the flour, mixing just until everything is well incorporated and there are no dry pockets of flour remaining. Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and poppy seeds. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 60-65 minutes until golden on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing and then cool it fully on a baking rack.
Once the bread is cool, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until it is pourable but still relatively thick. You can use all lemon juice for a nice tart glaze or a mixture of lemon juice and milk or cream to your taste for a slightly less tart glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and use the back of a spoon to spread it over the top of the cake gently. Allow the glaze to harden before slicing.
