Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Lemon poppy seed loaf cake drizzled with glaze, with lemons in the background on a marble surface.

5 from 2 votes

A moist, bright, and flavorful quick bread that pairs garden-fresh zucchini with zesty lemon and crunchy poppy seeds—perfect for breakfast, snacks, or sharing with friends.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, crowd-pleaser, freezer-friendly, from the garden, holiday, make-ahead, summer

Servings: slices (2 loaves)

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Angela Judd

Equipment

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup oil or applesauce see note
3 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest fresh or freeze-dried
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 cups grated zucchini about 1 medium zucchini, see note
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder

For Lemon Glaze (See Note)

1 cup powdered sugar Optional
2 tablespoons lemon juice Optional

Instructions

Start by preheating your oven to 325°F and greasing two loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar, and oil or applesauce.
Once the mixture is creamy, add eggs, lemon extract, vanilla, lemon zest, poppy seeds. Mix thoroughly.
Next, fold in grated zucchini until well incorporated into the mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is blended.
Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, if desired, dust the bread with powdered sugar or drizzle with a lemon glaze (see note) for extra flavor and sweetness.

Notes

Fresh or freeze-dried lemon zest: Use as is. No need to rehydrate first.
Homemade applesauce: You can use this instead of oil in the recipe. This not only adds flavor but also reduces the fat content of your bread.
Fresh or freeze-dried zucchini: Fresh zucchini can be grated directly into the batter. If you're using freeze-dried zucchini, rehydrate it first by soaking it in water for 10-15 minutes, discarding extra water, and measuring 2 cups.
To make lemon glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and drizzle over warm bread.

Nutrition