Lemon Zucchini Cake (With Sweet Lemon Glaze)
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This lemon zucchini cake loaf has the most tender crumb, and is moist with just the right amount of bright lemon sweetness that just melts in your mouth when you take a bite. Serve for dessert, snack, or a sweet breakfast treat, this delicious lemon zucchini cake recipe works for all three!
Table of Contents
Why We Love Lemon Zucchini Cake (With Sweet Lemon Glaze)
- Moist And Tender Crumb– Between the zucchini and the olive oil, this lemon zucchini cake recipe produces a soft, moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake that is delicious!
- Sweet Taste– If you love lemon, you’ll love this sweet cake with the bright cheery glaze, whether you serve it like a muffin or a dessert. If this is your first time making this recipe I highly recommend not skipping the sweet, lemony glaze!
- Perfect For Spring And Summer Zucchini– Zucchini is most plentiful in late spring and early summer, and this delicious loaf is a great way to use that zucchini!
Ingredients For Lemon Zucchini Cake
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
Ingredients For The Loaf
- lemons 1 tablespoon zest and 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- sugar
- egg beaten with a fork
- olive oil – vegetable oil or canola oil can also be substituted
- vanilla extract
- milk two percent or whole milk
- zucchini shredded and dried ( 2 small or about 1 ½ medium-sized zucchini Usually about 7-9 inches long) – See my tips in the notes at the bottom of the page for picking and preparing different types of zucchini.)
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
Ingredients For The Glaze
- powdered sugar
- lemon 1 tablespoon juice only
- milk two percent or whole milk
How To Make Lemon Cake
Directions For The Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a metal loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2) with parchment paper or spray with baking spray. You can use a cooking spray, but make sure to oil all sides inside the pan as the loaf may sometimes get stuck in the pan using cooking spray.
- Zest two of the lemons to make about 1 tablespoon of zest. Place the zest and the sugar into a large mixing bowl together. Stir zest into white sugar, helping to release the lemon flavor into the sugar.
- Crack and lightly beat the egg in a small bowl, then add it to the lemon zest and sugar. Add olive oil and vanilla to the mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. Add milk and lemon juice and whisk until fully mixed.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt into a second medium bowl and mix until well combined. Then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well until a batter forms and is fully blended.
- Shred the zucchini with a grater or food processor. Place the grated zucchini on top of several layers of paper towels. Using additional paper towels, dry the zucchini well. See notes for further tips.
- With a silicone spatula fold the zucchini into the batter. Pour batter carefully into the prepared pan.
- Bake this lemon zucchini cake recipe for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the loaf for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool loaf completely until it is room temperature on a wire rack before glazing. If the loaf gets stuck in the pan, try gently running a thin frosting spatula or a butter knife carefully around the edges of the pan.
For The Glaze
- In a medium-sized bowl, add powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Whisk together until a smooth glaze forms. Place a piece of parchment paper under the loaf for easy cleanup.
- Drizzle glaze over the loaf. Don’t worry if the glaze goes down the sides of the cake some.
- Let the glaze set at least 30 minutes. The longer you wait the less sticky the glaze will be, which will give you prettier loaf slices. Enjoy!
How Long Does Lemon Zucchini Cake Last?
This lemon zucchini cake will last for 3 days on the counter in a covered airtight container or can be stored in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
The glaze does start to seep into the loaf a little over time. It still tastes delicious but it starts to become a little more translucent with time. If serving this for a party or special occasion I recommend glazing the same day you serve for the prettiest slices.
I love a good easy cake whether I’m serving it as a breakfast or dessert version. Try the Blueberry Muffin Bread and the Sweet Cream Glazed Strawberry Bread too! Or the pistachio pudding cake has a delicious flavor you’ll love.
Can I Freeze This Lemon Zucchini Cake?
Yes, you can freeze this cake. You can freeze this cake as a whole loaf or in individual slices, simply wrap in freezer paper or plastic wrap before placing in a freezer container or freezer zip-top bag.
I usually only freeze a few slices, but next time I have extra zucchini I am going to make extra and freeze a whole loaf because it’s so good!
I recommend leaving the glaze off the top of the cake before freezing for best results. Add the glaze after defrosting. When you freeze with the glaze already on top it still tastes sweet but melts into the cake a little bit more.
Do I Need To Remove The Skin Of The Zucchini?
Peeling zucchini or not peeling the zucchini is a personal preference if you have small or medium zucchini (about 7 to 9 inches long) which is what you find most of the time at the grocery store. At this size, the zucchini will have tender skin that won’t affect the taste of your zucchini cake.
If you choose not to peel the zucchini, your loaf will have green flecks inside that won’t change the flavor but will be visible. Peeling the zucchini before shredding will mean your loaf won’t have these green flecks, which some people prefer.
If you have a large garden zucchini that is larger than 9 inches long (usually found in the summer months, I recommend you peel the zucchini because the peel tends to be tougher and have a little bit of bitterness to it. See my tips in the notes in the recipe card below for working with larger summer zucchini.
Do I Need To Remove The Seeds From The Zucchini?
Seeds in small and medium-sized zucchini (usually about 7-9 inches long) do not need to be removed as they are soft and generally flavorless.
In a larger zucchini that is more than 9 inches long. I recommend first scraping the seeds from the zucchini with a spoon before shredding it.
Large zucchini tend to have seeds that have more of a bitter taste to them and are not as soft, which can affect the taste of your cake if not removed. The seeds usually are slightly darker in color and thicker than the pale seeds found in smaller zucchini.
Other Zucchini Recipes You Will Love
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Easy Zucchini Banana Bread
Zucchini Pizza Boats
One Bowl Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Lemon Zucchini Cake
Equipment
- 1 metal loaf pan 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 standard
Ingredients
For The Loaf
- 2 large lemons 1 tablespoon zest and 4 tablespoons lemon juice equals 2 large lemons
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk two percent or whole milk
- 2 cups zucchini shredded and dried ( 2 small or about 1 ½ medium-sized zucchini for 2 cups)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 large lemon 1 tablespoon juice only
- 2 ¼ teaspoons milk
Instructions
For The Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a metal loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with baking spray.
- Zest two of the lemons to make about 1 tablespoon of zest. Place the zest and the sugar into a large mixing bowl together. Stir zest into sugar, helping to release the lemon flavor into the sugar.
- Crack and lightly beat the egg in a small bowl, then add it to the lemon zest and sugar. Add olive oil and vanilla to the mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. Add milk and lemon juice and whisk until fully mixed.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt into a second bowl and mix until well combined. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well until a batter forms and is fully blended.
- Shred the zucchini with a grater or food processor. Place the shredded zucchini on top of several layers of paper towels. Using additional paper towels, dry the zucchini well. See notes for further tips.
- With a silicone spatula fold the zucchini into the batter. Pour batter carefully into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the loaf for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool loaf completely on a wire cooling rack before glazing.
For The Glaze
- In a medium sized bowl, add powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Whisk together until a smooth glaze forms. Place a piece of parchment paper under the loaf for easy cleanup.
- Drizzle glaze over the loaf. Don't worry if the glaze goes down the sides of the cake some.
- Let glaze set at least 30 minutes. The longer you wait the less sticky the glaze will be, which will give you prettier loaf slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tips For Picking Zucchini
Using a small or medium-sized zucchini is best for this loaf bread, which usually range in size from 7 to 9 inches long. These zucchini have a tender skin and any seeds are soft and small. You can easily leave the skin and the seeds on these smaller zucchini. Sometimes zucchini can grow really large though, especially in the summer months. I’ve seen some zucchini that are as big as an adult’s arm! When zucchini becomes this large they have a lot more water, have thicker skins that aren’t as tender, and the seeds can sometimes taste bitter. If your zucchini is especially large I recommend removing the seeds with a spoon, peeling the zucchini and drying the zucchini really well with multiple rounds of paper towels or kitchen towels to remove as much water as possible.Tips For Drying The Zucchini
Zucchini can vary a lot as to how much water is inside. In the summer especially zucchini tends to be very full of water, which can cause your zucchini cake to be soggy if not dried. Using multiple layers and rounds of paper towels to dry the zucchini until it feels mostly dry to the touch will help ensure your zucchini cake is delicious. Use the paper towels both under and on top of the zucchini to fully dry the shreds.Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
I’ve made this a couple times now and is always a favorite. I find myself making more and more loafs every year cause people request them. Gotta start telling people if they want some they have to supply the shredded zucchini! All I have is a small hand grater and I made 5 loafs this year, I recommend a larger box grater or a food processor or you’ll be doing it for a while
This sounds delicious. I have a hint for you, though, that I thought of myself!
I use my salad spiiner to dry the zucchini. I first line the basket with paper towels (just two is all you need) add your zucchini, and spin away! I usually spin it twice. Oh, empty the bowl in between, you won’t believe the amount of water in the bowl!
Oh I’ll have to try that tip Jen, that sounds like a great idea! Thanks!
Very moist more cake like than a bread! Great use of zucchini from the summer garden. The lemon brings the flavor to a refreshing high!
Loved this! Making mini loaves as gifts
It came out like rubber 🙁
That doesn’t sound right. Is it possible you’ve left an ingredient out like olive oil or milk, or possibly swapped baking soda for baking powder? Overmixing the batter can also sometimes cause a quick bread to be rubbery.
Excellent! Very moist and flavourful