Meyer Lemon Zucchini Bread – moist and delicious quick bread with a sweet and tart glaze. The perfect way to use the seasonal fruit!
Originally published January 5, 2015. Updated January 29 2018.
As a rule, I don’t like zucchini in sweet recipes.
I don’t like zucchini cake, I don’t want zucchini in my cookies, and I judge you hard for putting zucchini in brownies.
I just don’t like it.
The only exception is this Meyer Lemon Zucchini Bread recipe that I make every January when meyer lemons show up in the grocery stores.
If you think you don’t like zucchini bread, you have to try this recipe! This is seriously the only sweet recipe you will ever see me make with zucchini and I’ve been making it for several years now.
It’s buttery and moist and you won’t even taste the zucchini which is probably why I love it so much.
It’s sweet enough to get rid of a sweet craving but not so sweet that you can’t have it for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
How To Make Meyer Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt)
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
- Add eggs, buttermilk, and zest and juice of 1 meyer lemon
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined
- Stir in shredded zucchini
- Pour into a loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
- To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and meyer lemon juice
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread
Help! I Can’t Find Meyer Lemons!
If you are having trouble finding meyer lemons (or if they aren’t in season), you can definitely use regular lemons in this recipe and other recipes that call for meyer lemons. There really isn’t a huge difference in tartness or taste.
What Else Can I Make with Meyer Lemons?
- Meyer Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Meyer Lemon Brussels Sprouts Pizza
- Meyer Lemon Strawberry Shortcakes
- Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake
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Meyer Lemon Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softed
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- juice and zest of 1 meyer lemon, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup grated zucchini
Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 - 2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with baking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in the buttermilk and juice and zest of 1 meyer lemon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until just combined. Stir in zucchini.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and meyer lemon juice until no lumps remain. Drizzle over cooled bread.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 344mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 4g
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
Can you believe it? I haven’t seen meyer lemons either! These look fantastic however. I need to find some asap.
Kelly says
We have Meyer lemons in our grocery store all year round in Canada. I didn’t realize there was a “season”! I use them in pesto…sooo good!
amanda says
What?! I’m really jealous! We seriously only get them for a week or two!
Ellie says
I am blessed to have 2 meyer lemon trees in my yard, I live on the Texas Gulf Coast.
They are ripe Oct-Jan and keep a couple months after that, then I freeze the juice. I make a semilar recipe will have to try yours.
amanda says
I’m so jealous! When we move somewhere with a little more water and a little less hard red dirt, I need to look into having a tree!
Meg @ BeardandBonnet says
My Mother-in-Law grows Meyer lemons in her backyard here in Southern California which officially makes me one of the luckiest ladies in the world, because she has too many of them for just her. I have to make this bread!!!
Jocelyn @Inside BruCrew Life says
I never seem to make it to the store in time to find these elusive lemons!!!! I need to go today and see if my stores are on top of things because I need this bread!!!!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
I can never seem to find Meyer lemons when they are in season for those 6 short days haha but I’m definitely going to try and find some today when I go grocery shopping. I LOVE this bread – lemon and zucchini sounds perfect — better than Starbucks too! :)
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I’ll keep an eye out at the store for some because I’m probably the last person on the planet to have seen or tried meyer lemons. This bread is totally on my to do list!
niole @ I am a Honey Bee says
I’ve found them like 2x in New England. I almost jumped around in the store. I was so excited. ha!
Alyssa says
I have never actually tried meyer lemons, but I always hear about them. I will have to keep an eye out when I’m in the grocery store today. This bread look amazing, I can’t wait to try it!
[email protected] says
This looks really good! I hope I can find some Meyer lemons!
Kate @ Diethood says
The day meyer lemons appear in Indiana, I WILL make this! Seriously… I don’t think many around these parts have even heard of them. :-D
I also want to OD on Starbucks Lemon Bread…it’s so good!
Julie | This Gal Cooks says
I saw some meyer lemons in Fresh Market a few weeks ago. But I live in FL so we usually have all fruit year round…except for peaches. WHY can’t I find any peaches right now. For some reason I have really wanted fresh peaches but cannot find any!
I’m a total sucka for lemon treats/breads/food so I could totally eat the entire loaf of this! LOVE it, Amanda!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
I can’t wait to try this! I adore meyer lemons and I agree – the season is way too short!! Pinning this gorgeous bread!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
ohhhhh yummmmm!
Deborah says
Amanda,
This past summer I bought an “Improved Meyer Lemon” shrub at a Pike’s Nursery in GA (bushy, like a shrub vs a tree). I kept it in a large pot on our deck. It had tiny white, fragrant flowers, then tiny little green buds followed which developed into fruit. It took the lemons all summer, fall and winter to grow and ripen. It was well worth the wait, as it was a pretty plant and as it turned out, I was the lucky recipient of 9 Meyer Lemons in December & January. Funny thing is that when I have been fortunate enough to find these lemons at a grocery store they have always been small (kind of like key limes) but the ones I grew were HUGE! Seriously, I’ve never seen such large lemons! After seeing how long it took them to fully ripen, I can appreciate what a precious commodity they seem to be! Now that we’ve picked the last of the lemons, I’ve moved the potted shrub into the Garage for the winter hoping it will survive the winter. Enjoyed your blog very much. Thanks for the recipe which I will definitely try. Deb (a retired warrant officer’s wife).
amanda says
Well now it makes sense why they’re only around for such a short time! They’ve already disappeared from my grocery store – crazy! I hope your plant survives winter. I’ve got to look into growing my own!
Amy @Very Culinary says
I have a meyer lemon bush in our backyard. How awesome is my life? Ha. I used most of them for lemon curd and lemon bars, BUT I have a few left. I knew the minute I saw you post the batter on IG that I would be making this.
Joanne says
That’s so weird because in NYC, Whole Foods seems to carry them year-round! They are pretty much my favorite lemons in the world. I’m sure this bread is amazing!
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Ugh I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with meyer lemons! They are just too perfect for every season, and I love the zucchini bread you made with them! Looks delicious, pinned! :)
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Such a delicious flavour for a quick bread! And that gl
Carla (@charliesue) says
Considering I meyer-lemon EVERYTHING, I’m so pleased to see this recipe for a new combo in zucchini bread! YUM! Pinned!!
Sharon says
The recipe calls for baking soda, yet the directions say to combine flour,salt and baking powder. Which is it?
Amy says
In your ingredient list you call for baking soda, yet in the directions it says to mix in baking powder…which is it? Looking forward to baking!
Lisa says
I had the same question but went for it with the baking soda with hopes that the ingredient list was correct and the directions were wrong.. It turned out great!
Ruth Zarkovacki says
Yep… I tried it with baking soda as well but tbh I could taste it through when it was done. Also, mine had to bake at least 20 Min longer and was still on the “too moist for my taste” side. I dunno but I expected more from it… maybe it’s the Zucchini after all that is still strange in it, or the baking powder that I might use next time. It surly looks good but I just thought it was a bit too hyped up…
Amanda Livesay says
I’m sorry to hear that. I’m going to retest it to try to figure out what’s wrong. Thanks for letting me know!