Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

If you’re looking for a delicious way to use up some fresh summer zucchini, this easy Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread is the way to do it!

This ultra moist dessert bread is filled with a sweet and tart lemon flavor that’s sure to please.

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

We’re combining the delicious flavors of lemon poppy seed with the moist and nutritious zucchini bread, for an out of this world bread that’s to die for.

Ingredients Needed:

With zucchini and lemons nearly always plentiful in the summer, this recipe is a no-brainer to make. Here’s a basic list of the ingredients you’ll need in order to make this recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients in the printable recipe card below.

• Flour – all purpose
• Sugar
• Greek Yogurt – plain
• Butter
• Eggs
• Zucchini – freshly shredded
• Lemons – juice and zest
• Poppy Seeds – you can find these in the spice aisle or on Amazon
• Vanilla
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

The texture of this bread is super moist, but also light and fluffy. The key to this is how you prepare the batter.

CREAM THE BUTTER   Start by creaming together the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy. This should take a couple minutes. Add in the Greek yogurt and lemon juice and then mix until it’s combined.

ADD EGGS   You’ll add the eggs just one at a time, beating and incorporating each one before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS    In a separate bowl you’ll sift together the dry ingredients and then pour them into the wet ingredients. Here’s the trick – DON’T OVER MIX!

FOLD IN THE ZUCCHINI    Once your dry ingredients are incorporated, gently fold in the shredded zucchini and poppy seeds. Pour the batter into a couple greased baking pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

What Size Bread Pan?

I love baking these into a smaller loaf pan size because I feel like the bread just turns out much better.

For this recipe I’m using two 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pans.

You could also use larger ones, but keep in mind that it will change the overall bake time.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Here are a few of my top tips and substitutions you can refer to when baking this zucchini bread.

GREEK YOGURT –  You can swap out the plain greek yogurt for vanilla or lemon greek yogurt. You could also use sour cream in place of the greek yogurt (but the taste might be slightly affected)

POPPY SEEDS – If you’re not a fan of poppy seeds, feel free to leave them out of the recipe.

LEMON GLAZE  – This recipe calls for a simple lemon powdered sugar glaze, which you can leave off if you don’t want the extra sugar.

DON’T OVER MIX  – To keep this dessert bread nice and fluffy, make sure you do not over mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Doing so will create a stronger gluten bond, making your bread more tough.

Make Ahead and Freezer Instructions

Bonus points for baking loads of this delicious bread when zucchini is fresh from the garden and then freezing to enjoy throughout the year.

You’re one smart cookie!

TO FREEZE:  Bake the bread according to the instructions and then let it cool completely. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap twice, then place in a zip close bag. Zucchini bread should last in the freezer for about 3 months.

Let the zucchini bread defrost at room temperature before slicing.

I’ve also written a comprehensive guide on How To Freeze Zucchini so make sure to check that out if you have loads!

PRO TIP – For best results, do NOT top with the glaze before freezing.

More Zucchini Recipes To Try

Lucky for you I’m all about that gorgeous green squash. We plant several zucchini plants in our garden each summer so I’m always trying to come up with new and exciting ways to incorporate zucchini into our diets.

Here are a few more delicious zucchini recipes I think you’ll enjoy…

I sure hope you enjoy this delicious and Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread recipe as much as we do!

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Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

If you’re looking for a delicious way to use up some zucchini, this Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread is the way to do it!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 340 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• extra lemon zest , for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8 1/2 inch x 4 inch bread pans with baking spray (the kind that has the flour in it) and set aside.

• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the greek yogurt and lemon juice and beat until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and lemon zest, whisk to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir just enough to combine.

• Fold in the zucchini, vanilla extract and poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Try not to over stir. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes in pans before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a zip close bag in the freezer.  You can freeze this bread for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 431IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

Keywords: greek yogurt, Lemon, poppy seed, quick bread, zucchini

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