Zucchini Walnut Bread With Lemon Glaze Recipe

Believe it or not, a garden-grown zucchini can be the star of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even better, zucchini can be used in delicious desserts too. In fact, recipes can revolve around this green vegetable that's healthy and tastes amazing too.

It doesn't take much zucchini in a recipe to give it a boost of nutrients without losing flavor. This recipe is from developer Kate Shungu, who blogs over at Gift of Hospitality. She loves recreating vintage recipes with a fresh twist, and this zucchini bread definitely fits the bill. Not only is it delicious, but by the time it's done, it'll look incredible too. Whether you serve it to guests or keep it all to yourself, it's absolutely guaranteed to be a treat.

Shungu incorporates walnuts with zucchini in a zucchini bread and lavishes it with a lemon glaze. You will have to give this from-scratch recipe a try!

This recipe makes one loaf of zucchini bread in just 15 minutes of prep time and a cooking time of approximately one hour. It only requires two small zucchinis, grated, which will equal approximately one cup in the end. "Zucchini is a really versatile ingredient. It doesn't have a strong flavor by itself, and it takes on the flavor of whatever you add it to. It's also a great way to sneak in some extra veggies," Shungu told us.

Begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Grate the zucchini using a box grater, then place the zucchini in a mesh colander and place it over the sink. Use a spatula to press all of the liquid out of the zucchini.

"It's important to follow the instruction to press the liquid out of the zucchini. If the batter is too wet, it won't cook properly and could end up soggy. If you don't have a mesh colander, you could even use your clean hands and wring it out like a towel over the sink," Shungu said.

In a large bowl, whisk together two eggs, half a cup of vegetable oil, three-quarters of a cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla for your zucchini bread.

"You could replace the vegetable oil with a neutral-tasting olive oil but not extra virgin. It might have a faint olive oil flavor, but it would still pair nicely with the zucchini and lemon," Shungu said.

In a separate bowl, stir together one and a half cups of flour, half of a teaspoon of baking soda, half of a teaspoon of baking powder, and half of a teaspoon of salt.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until just combined. Then, stir in the cup of grated zucchini and half a cup of chopped walnuts. If walnuts aren't tasty to your palate, you can swap them out for something else. "You could substitute pecans or leave out the nuts altogether," Shungu said of the zucchini bread.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with dry crumbs. Let the loaf cool, then remove from the pan.

While your zucchini bread loaf is cooling, take a medium bowl and whisk together one and a half cups of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. "You should have a glaze that's thick but still able to be drizzled. Add more sugar or lemon juice as needed to create the right consistency," Shungu said.

If you don't happen to have a lemon handy, you can punt with a back-up ingredient. "While fresh lemon juice tastes best, you can swap store-bought lemon juice in a pinch," she noted.

Pour the glaze over the cooled zucchini bread. Be sure to wait until it is thoroughly cooled. "The bread has to be cooled completely in order for the glaze to stick. If the bread is still warm, the glaze will slide right off," Shungu said.

Garnish with the zest of one lemon and finely chopped walnuts, which, again, are optional. "The zucchini bread is lightly sweet, so the sweet/tart lemon glaze not only adds sweetness but complements the subtle flavor of the bread," she explained.

This beautiful loaf of bread not only tastes fantastic but looks amazing too. Tummies will start grumbling once people lay eyes on this visually appealing dessert, making it perfect for a party or as a gift.

"This bread is perfect for gift giving. You can easily find zucchini year-round in the grocery store, so it can be given and enjoyed any time of year," Shungu said. "Whenever someone I know has a baby, I bring them dinner. I also usually include a loaf of quick bread, such as this zucchini bread. It's great for new parents to enjoy for breakfast one-handed.