Tangy Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread: My Garden Bake (Print Version)

Tangy Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread is a moist, flavorful bake. A sweet way to use garden zucchini with bright lemon and juicy berries.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 60 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 75 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
02 - 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
03 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - Zest of 1 large lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fresh Add-ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups (about 2 medium) grated zucchini, squeezed dry
12 - 1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries (tossed with 1 tsp flour if desired)

→ Optional Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
14 - 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, let's get that oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). Then, grab your loaf pan – a standard 9x5 inch works wonderfully – and give it a good grease and flour dusting. Or, if you're like me and prefer less mess, line it with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. This is where I always make sure everything is ready to go, because trying to grease a pan with batter waiting is just asking for a kitchen disaster, honestly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until they're light and fluffy. This step is about getting air into the mixture, so don't be shy with the whisk! Next, stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The aroma of that lemon zest hitting the mixture? Oh, it's just heavenly and instantly tells you this Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread is going to be something special. I once added too much lemon juice here and the batter was a bit thin, so stick to the recipe!
03 - In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure everything is well combined. This ensures even distribution of your leavening agents, meaning no weird dense spots in your bread. I sometimes get a little flour cloud going during this step, but hey, that's part of the charm of home baking, right?
04 - Now, gently add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until *barely* combined. Seriously, don't overmix! Overmixing develops the gluten too much, and we want a tender, not tough, Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread. A few streaks of flour are totally fine; they'll disappear during baking. This is where I have to resist the urge to keep stirring, it's a real test of patience!
05 - It's time for the stars of the show! Gently fold in your grated, *squeezed* zucchini and your fresh blueberries. Be super careful not to crush those beautiful berries. I usually toss the blueberries with a tiny bit of flour first – a little trick I learned that helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf. This step always makes the batter look so pretty, full of color and promise for our Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread.
06 - Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 50-65 minutes. You're looking for a golden brown top, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. My oven runs a little hot, so I always check around the 50-minute mark. Once baked, let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. That initial cooling in the pan helps it set without breaking. The smell filling your kitchen right now? That's pure joy, I tell ya!
07 - While the bread cools, if you're making the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top. This adds an extra punch of lemon and a lovely sheen. I always wait until it's cool; otherwise, the glaze just melts right off, which is a bit of a bummer after all that effort.

# Notes:

01 - Don't overmix the batter; a gentle hand keeps the bread tender.
02 - Store cooled bread wrapped tightly at room temp for best texture.
03 - Swap blueberries for raspberries or even chopped apples if you're feeling adventurous.
04 - A sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top before baking gives a lovely crunch.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Loaf pan (9x5 inch)
02 - large mixing bowls
03 - whisk
04 - rubber spatula
05 - grater
06 - wire rack

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 320
Total Fat: 14g
Total Carbohydrate: 45g
Protein: 5g

Back