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Lemon Zucchini Bread

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Moist and fluffy, this lemon zucchini bread is made with whole wheat, honey and buttermilk and is topped with a fresh and delicious lemon glaze!

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It seems most people I talk to love lemon-flavored treats, whether it’s candy, baked goods, or  lemon-flavored sauces for pastas and seafood.  There is just something about that refreshingly sweet-sour zippy taste of lemon that is so irresistibly delicious.

I’ve always loved lemony desserts, including lemon cakes.  I did some experimenting again with whole wheat, honey, buttermilk and squash and churned out this delightful lemon cake that you are sure to enjoy.  Lots of fresh lemon zest and a heavenly lemon glaze to top it all off.

I used yellow squash this time – the color blends in perfectly and you can’t even tell it’s there (the perfect deception if you have little ones…or big ones who are resistant to veggies ;).  Alternatively you can use regular zucchini.  And how about this for a flavor twist:  Instead of lemon, use lime (lime zest and lime juice) to complement the green flecks of the zucchini.

Be sure to also check out my recipe for Chocolate Deception Cake!  This moist cake incorporates loads of zucchini, whole grains and healthy oils.

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Lemon Zucchini Bread with Lemon Glaze

A tender and moist loaf cake made using whole wheat flour, honey, buttermilk, and fresh zucchini or yellow squash. It is topped with a refreshing lemon glaze.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings
Calories 436 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • For the Loaf:
  • 1 cup grated yellow squash or zucchini ,leave the skin on and use the small holes of the grater
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil ,melted and at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • For the Lemon Glaze:
  • 1 cups confectioners’ sugar ,sifted
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
  • Using your hands, squeeze as much liquid out of the squash as you can. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add the sugar and eggs and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the honey, oil, vanilla extract, buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest beat another minute until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the squash until the strands are separated and combined with the batter. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter and gently fold it in, just until combined. Be careful not to stir too much.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and setting it on the wire rack to cool completely.
  • To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, stir together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice together. Add more sugar if the mixture is too liquidy. Add more lemon juice if it’s too stiff. Once the loaf has cooled, pour the lemon glaze over the top of the loaf and let it drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to harden for 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 436kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 6.7mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 1.8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

31 Comments

  1. I see comments about canola oil? It is not called for in this recipe!! I never knew it was bd for you either what would you use in place of it? As for this Zucchini Bread ….. It’s amazing! I have already made it twice this summer I have substituted the flours for GlutenFree flour also. My husband has Gluten intolerance Came out pretty good! A little chewy as all GF recipes are

    1. Hi Mary, you can certainly omit the lemon but that’s the primary/key flavor of this bread. There really isn’t a replacement for lemon but you can simply omit it. Without the lemon it will just be a basic zucchini bread.

  2. After using a “high altitude” recipe for zucchini bread and having it turn out a little more than an inch high I tried yours. YIPPEE!! A tall moist bread without the valley in the top middle of the loaf. My loaves average 31/2 -33/4 pounds. I use all olive oil for the shortening. I adjust the sweet depending on the fruit or vegetable used. Loved the suggestion to use apple sauce for sweetener instead of sugar. I will try it. I have made zucchini bread, banana bread and will soon make some carrot bread, apple bread, and peach bread. What fun! Thank you for a great recipe with good attitude at altitude.

    1. That’s wonderful! I’m thrilled to hear this turned out so well where you live at high altitude and really appreciate all the feedback, thank you!

    1. Thank you, Marie, I’m so glad you like it as much as we do! You know, the amount of servings is always so relative when it comes to loaves, which is probably why many recipes simply state “yields 2 loaves” or “makes 1 loaf”. If you’re like me and cut your slices thick, then I’d say about 8 servings. Thinner and it’s closer to 12 servings.

    1. Thanks! A quick online search “why is canola oil bad for you” will yield a lot of information. In a nutshell, it’s the same thing as rapeseed oil (from rapeseed plants) which was initially just used for industrial purposes. Because there is an overabundance of rapeseed oil produced, a group of scientists several decades ago wanted to turn it into something “edible” in order to make use of the reserves (just like our overabundance of corn for animal feed was turned into corn syrup, also incredibly bad for you). So they’ve taken a toxic substance and have refined it to death (it’s one of the most refined oils there is – it’s also genetically modified) in order to turn it into something that won’t lead to a sudden death…just a gradually one! ;) It’s produced and refined using very harmful chemicals (including benzene) and is also heavily deodorized to hide the naturally horrific stench of rapeseed oil. In an attempt to get rid of its bad reputation and its association with industrial use, its name has been changed and marketed as canola oil (“can” for Canada where the most rapeseed is produced – “can oil = canola”). It’s been marketed as “heart healthy” because it doesn’t have saturated fats and contains omega 3’s, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s very heart damaging and also contains a lot of rancid oils which are carcinogenic.

    1. Not a dumb question at all, Julie! Nope, all you have to do is shred it and throw it in there! It will cook while the cake is baking. Enjoy!

    1. Hi Taylor! Well, the recipe is configured to include the bulk and moisture of zucchini, so if it’s omitted you would need to replace the bulk and moisture with something else…

  3. This was a great recipe! I did make some changes though. I eliminated the brown sugar and used only one half cup honey as a sweetener. I also substituted the half cup canola oil for one half cup applesauce and I used all white whole wheat flour. I baked them in a muffin tin for 21 mins at 350° and they were perfect. Moist and delicately sweet with a beautiful lemony undertone. A half pecan on top of each for looks :) Thanks!

    1. Fantastic, Rebecca, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I virtually never use canola oil for anything simply because it’s so bad for you. For baking I usually use butter or coconut oil (olive oil in a few cases). Apple sauce is a good choice if you’re looking to cut down on calories and yes, it does make baked goods nice and moist. Thanks for your feedback!

  4. hello,
    i made this recipe today and tho the ingredient list included honey, it was not included in the body/method of the recipe. i omitted the honey anyway as i prefer a less sweet end product, but i was curious to know when you would add the honey or if the honey isn’t supposed to be included at all?
    thanks!

    1. You are so right! Thanks for pointing out that oversight – I’ve made the correction. Thanks for visiting and for trying the recipe!

  5. Oh my gosh, all of your recipes just sound wonderful.
    I now know where to go for just about anything I feel like making.
    You’re so appreciated.

    1. Linda, thank you so much for your kind words and generous compliments. I’m happy you found my food blog and look forward to your feedback on the recipes you try. Happy cooking!