Description
A moist and tangy lemon zucchini bread that combines fresh lemon zest and juice with shredded zucchini for a delightful breakfast treat or snack. This quick bread is enriched with yogurt for extra tenderness and uses simple pantry staples for an easy yet flavorful bake.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, moisture removed
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Zucchini: Grate a medium zucchini using the large holes of a box grater, then use a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible to prevent sogginess in the bread.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the eggs, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk until the wet components are well blended.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing which could cause a dense texture.
- Fold in Zucchini and Yogurt: Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and the yogurt or sour cream using a spatula to keep the batter light and moist.
- Prepare for Baking: Pour your batter into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and create a shallow valley down the center of the batter for even baking.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure clean cuts and the best texture.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense and tough texture.
- Use room-temperature eggs and yogurt for better emulsification and rise.
- Freeze individual slices for convenient, quick snacks later.
- Rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar before adding helps release more citrus oils and enhances lemon flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/10 loaf)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
