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Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

Lemon poppy seed zucchini bread with a golden, tender crumb and a glossy lemon glaze poured over while warm. This spring quick bread bakes until a toothpick comes out clean, with visible poppy seeds throughout.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Measure level; reserve for dry mix.
baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 2 eggs
vegetable oil
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil Use neutral vegetable oil.
Greek yogurt
  • 0.333 cup Greek yogurt
lemon zest
  • lemon zest Zest of 2 lemons.
fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice Plus lemon juice for glaze.
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
zucchini
  • 1 cup zucchini Grated and squeezed dry.
powdered sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
lemon zest (glaze)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (glaze) Use 1 tsp zest for glaze.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Aim for an even coating so the loaf releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds together. Whisk until the mixture is evenly speckled with poppy seeds.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. The batter should look glossy and fully combined.
  4. Stir in grated squeezed zucchini. Fold until the zucchini is evenly distributed with no dry pockets.
  5. Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Stop as soon as you don’t see flour streaks to keep the crumb tender.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan lightly to settle the batter into the corners.
Bake, cool, and glaze
  1. Bake at 350°F for 50–58 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Look for a golden top and edges pulling slightly from the pan.
  2. Cool 15 minutes in the pan. The loaf should firm up enough to hold the glaze without running off completely.
  3. Whisk powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Adjust with an extra splash of lemon juice until the glaze pours in a thick ribbon.
  4. Pour glaze generously over the warm loaf. Finish with visible poppy seeds and glossy glaze pooling lightly across the top.

Notes

Pro tip: Squeeze the grated zucchini very well so the loaf bakes up with a tender crumb instead of a wet center. Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days; rewarm slices briefly to soften the crumb. Freezing is yes: wrap individual slices and freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, use nonfat Greek yogurt in the same amount for a slightly lower-fat loaf.