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Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread

Lemon poppy seed zucchini bread with a bright citrus loaf, studded with poppy seeds and baked until golden. Finished with a glossy lemon glaze poured over the warm loaf for a smooth, crackly finish.
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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: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.33 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 lemons (zest) zest of 2 lemons
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
Lemon glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice use 2–3 tablespoons
  • 1 tsp lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Make sure the pan is evenly coated so the loaf releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds together. Visually check that the poppy seeds are distributed through the dry mix.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and fully combined.
  4. Stir in grated zucchini that has been squeezed dry. The batter will thicken slightly and become speckled.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep the crumb tender.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan lightly once to level the top.
  7. Bake for 50–58 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. The loaf should be golden and spring back lightly when touched.
Glaze and cool
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes in the pan. The loaf should firm up but still be warm enough for glaze to soak in.
  2. Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth. Use a pourable consistency so the glaze drizzles evenly over the top.
  3. Pour the glaze generously over the warm loaf. Add it slowly so it settles across the crust and highlights the poppy seeds.

Notes

To prevent excess moisture from making the center gummy, squeeze the grated zucchini very well before adding it. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm slices briefly if you want the crumb to soften again. Freezing is yes—wrap cooled slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. For a dairy-light swap, use plain nonfat Greek yogurt to keep the tang while reducing fat.