Lemon Zucchini Bread with Lemon Glaze

It's zucchini time!! Are you all as excited as I am?

I made this bread for the first time last year towards the end of zucchini season, waited an entire year and it was the 1st thing I made this year with my zucchini.  I wanted to share it with you guys early, so you can make it a million times this season.  

It is so soft and delicate and fresh tasting with a light lemon flavor.  It has become one of my favorite zucchini breads.  Lemon and zucchini were meant to be baked together.   

Since there isn't any cinnamon in it, it ends up being a pretty light yellow loaf, instead of a brown loaf.    

"The Mr." says there is something about it that he can't get enough of!

Just to give you an idea . . . the two of us finished off an entire loaf in a day and a half :)  Oops . . . guess I better make it again.  

I was reading about tricks professionals use to make perfect donuts.  One of the tricks was adding a little meringue powder to the icing and that will make it harden better.  I tried it with my icing for this bread and it worked perfect.  My icing completely hardened just like I wanted.  I will be using that trick from now on, especially if I am making something that would need to be stacked on top of each other for storing.   

Lemon Zucchini Bread with Lemon Glaze

adapted from: Nancy Creative
(Printable Recipe) or (Printable with Picture)

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. buttermilk
juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tbl.)
zest of 1 lemon
1 c. grated zucchini (peeled or un-peeled)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan (I lined mine with parchment and greased); set aside.  In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a medium bowl beat 2 eggs, then add the oil and sugar and mix well.  Add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well. Stir in the zucchini.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took 50 minutes).  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.  While the loaf is cooling, you can make the glaze.

Lemon Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
juice of 1 lemon (or 2 Tbl.)

or 
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. imitation lemon extract, to taste
milk, as needed to reach desired consistency
1/2 tsp. meringue powder, opt.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy and desired consistency is reached.  Pour over cooled loaf.  Allow to harden, slice and serve.

Jenn's Notes:  This bread is absolutely perfect "as is".  For the glaze: I use the 2nd option, which calls for lemon extract, because I love the flavor of imitation lemon extract (not pure - too much alcohol flavor).  The meringue powder helps the icing harden.  This time, I also added a little orange zest and juice, because I had leftover from my favorite Carnitas recipe.