Sweet Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread

If you ask me, sneaking vegetables into sweet bread is one of the smartest baking tricks out there.

This lemon blueberry zucchini bread brings together fresh summer flavors in a treat that works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert. Bright lemon and juicy blueberries cover up the mild zucchini, which adds moisture without any green vegetable taste.

It’s topped with a simple lemon glaze that soaks into the tender crumb. The buttermilk keeps everything soft, while the lemon zest gives you little bursts of citrus flavor in every bite.

It’s an easy way to use up garden zucchini while making something everyone will actually want to eat.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For this bread, you’ll want to use medium-sized zucchini rather than those giant ones from the garden. The smaller to medium zucchini have fewer seeds and less water content, which means your bread won’t end up soggy. After you shred your zucchini, make sure to squeeze out the excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels – this step is really important for getting the right texture. You don’t need to peel the zucchini either, as the skin will blend right into the bread and add a little extra nutrition without affecting the taste.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if you need to:

• Buttermilk: Don’t have buttermilk? Mix 1/2 cup regular milk with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Canola oil: You can swap this with vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or even melted butter. If using butter, your bread will be a bit denser but still tasty.
• Fresh blueberries: Frozen blueberries work great – just don’t thaw them first or they’ll turn your batter purple. You can also use raspberries or chopped strawberries instead.
• Fresh lemon juice: While fresh is best, bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch. You’ll need about 4 tablespoons total for the bread and glaze.
• All purpose flour: You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed, though the texture might be slightly different. Whole wheat flour works too – try replacing half the all-purpose flour for a heartier bread.
• Sugar: Honey or maple syrup can replace the granulated sugar, but reduce the buttermilk by 2 tablespoons to balance the extra liquid.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake you can make with this bread is forgetting to drain your shredded zucchini properly – squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture, otherwise your bread will turn out dense and take forever to bake through.

If you’re using frozen blueberries, don’t let them thaw before adding them to the batter, as they’ll bleed purple juice throughout your bread and make it soggy.

Overmixing the batter once you add the flour is another common error that leads to tough, rubbery bread, so stir just until you don’t see any dry flour streaks.

Finally, make sure your bread is completely cooled before adding the glaze – if it’s even slightly warm, the glaze will melt right off instead of creating that nice sweet coating on top.

What to Serve With Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread?

This bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love slicing it thick and spreading a little softened butter or cream cheese on top while it’s still slightly warm. It also makes a great addition to a brunch spread alongside fresh fruit, yogurt, and scrambled eggs. If you want to get fancy, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of honey and extra lemon zest.

Storage Instructions

Store: This lemon blueberry zucchini bread stays moist for days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It’ll keep for about 3-4 days on the counter, or you can pop it in the fridge for up to a week if your kitchen is warm.

Freeze: I love freezing slices of this bread for quick breakfast or snacks later. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the whole loaf if you prefer.

Thaw: Just leave a slice on the counter for about 30 minutes to thaw, or microwave it for 20-30 seconds if you’re in a hurry. The bread tastes amazing at room temperature, or you can warm it up slightly and add a little butter on top.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2250-2400
• Protein: 27-32 g
• Fat: 75-85 g
• Carbohydrates: 375-400 g

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup zucchini (shredded and squeezed dry)
• 1 cup blueberries

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Step 1: Prepare Pan and Mix Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or similar size with butter or cooking spray.

While the oven heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Set this dry mixture aside—having it ready before you start the wet ingredients ensures the batter doesn’t sit and lose its leavening power.

Step 2: Build the Wet Ingredient Base

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they turn pale yellow, about 1-2 minutes—this incorporates air for a lighter crumb.

Add the oil, sugar, buttermilk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.

Whisk everything together until well combined and smooth.

I like to add the lemon juice and zest at this stage because they distribute more evenly throughout the batter when mixed with the liquid ingredients.

Step 3: Incorporate Zucchini and Combine

• 1 cup zucchini
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1

Stir the shredded zucchini into the wet mixture from Step 2 until evenly distributed.

Now add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—don’t overmix, as this keeps the bread tender.

The batter should look slightly lumpy, which is exactly what you want.

Step 4: Add Blueberries and Bake

• 1 cup blueberries

Gently fold the blueberries into the batter from Step 3, being careful not to crush them too much.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

I find that checking the bread at 45 minutes helps prevent overbaking, since every oven is slightly different.

Step 5: Cool and Prepare for Glazing

Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This waiting period is important—if you glaze while the bread is still warm, the glaze will melt off instead of setting into a nice coating.

Step 6: Make Glaze and Finish

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

While the bread cools, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and pourable.

Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to naturally cascade down the sides.

Let it set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Sweet Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Delicious Sweet Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 2325

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup zucchini (shredded and squeezed dry)
• 1 cup blueberries

For the glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or similar size with butter or cooking spray. While the oven heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this dry mixture aside—having it ready before you start the wet ingredients ensures the batter doesn't sit and lose its leavening power.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they turn pale yellow, about 1-2 minutes—this incorporates air for a lighter crumb. Add the oil, sugar, buttermilk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until well combined and smooth. I like to add the lemon juice and zest at this stage because they distribute more evenly throughout the batter when mixed with the liquid ingredients.
3. Stir the shredded zucchini into the wet mixture from Step 2 until evenly distributed. Now add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—don't overmix, as this keeps the bread tender. The batter should look slightly lumpy, which is exactly what you want.
4. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter from Step 3, being careful not to crush them too much. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. I find that checking the bread at 45 minutes helps prevent overbaking, since every oven is slightly different.
5. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. This waiting period is important—if you glaze while the bread is still warm, the glaze will melt off instead of setting into a nice coating.
6. While the bread cools, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to naturally cascade down the sides. Let it set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.