Glazed Lemon Zucchini & Summer Squash Bread Recipe
My first memory of zucchini bread is of when I was a kid living in my old neighboor, and the kind old lady across the street brought me some. Naturally, you don’t tell a kid there’s zucchini in their bread, so I was none the wiser, thinking I was eating some vegetable-less treat. But my neighbor told me about the secret squash after I devoured it, and it was the first time I realized vegetables in dessert might actually be okay.
That memory has never left me.
Nowadays, I love squash in all forms, so it’s surprising that this Glazed Lemon Zucchini & Summer Squash Bread is the first squash-based dessert I’ve ever made. Even since that childhood memory, I haven’t eaten much zucchini bread – simply from lack of opportunity. That’s why I took matters into my own hands to make this.
I was surprised at how simple this was. Grating the squash is the most annoying part of this, but even that isn’t bad. I really liked switching up what’s expected and using summer squash in here too. The lemon flavor was subtle but so refreshing. It’s the ultimate complement to the squash: two bright, refreshing ingredients coming together with incomparable summertime flavor.
Of course, my favorite part of this Glazed Lemon Zucchini & Summer Squash Bread was the rich and lemony glaze. The bread’s good enough to stand on its own, but why not add this silky topping to make it shine even more?
But perhaps you’ve wondered why one should even put squash in bread in the first place. It’s the same reason you put carrots in cake: it creates unbelievable moistness for the texture like nothing else you’ve ever had. Plus, it builds layers of flavor into our bread. That’s a good enough reason for me.
Before summer closes, get yourself some fresh squash and lemons so you can enjoy this comforting, rich Glazed Lemon Zucchini & Summer Squash Bread. Slice it thick and let it make you feel like a kid again.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
If you put the glaze on the bread while it’s hot, it’s likely to not set up right, even when cooled. You may have some separation.
Add poppy seeds to the mix for a little crunch.
This is a great treat to freeze and enjoy year-round.
Glazed Lemon Zucchini & Summer Squash Bread
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 medium lemons)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup shredded zucchini (packed and undrained)
- 3/4 cup shredded summer squash (packed and undrained)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- For the glaze
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest, mixing with your fingertips until fragrant. Add the egg, vegetable oil and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in zucchini.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir the flour mixture into the zucchini mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove pan to wire rack and cool in pan for about 10 minutes before turning out onto the wire rack to cool completely.
Once bread is cooled, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, lemon juice, cream and vanilla. Drizzle the glaze over the bread. Store in an air-tight container.