Lemon Zucchini Cake
Soft and moist lemon zucchini cake with a tender crumb is topped with the most delicious sweet lemon glaze as the finishing touch. Make this delicious cake for sweet dessert snack, or a sweet breakfast for a great way to start the day!
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
Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg