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Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Loaf Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

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A moist and flavorful zucchini loaf with bright lemon zing and crunchy poppy seeds, topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion and easy to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled)
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
  2. Grate the zucchini using the coarse side of a box grater or a food processor. Pat lightly with a paper towel if very wet.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and slightly thickened (2-3 minutes).
  5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the grated zucchini carefully. If batter is too dense, add a splash of milk to loosen slightly.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, checking at 50 minutes with a toothpick. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cover with foil if top browns too quickly.
  9. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  10. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy. Add lemon juice if desired for tang.
  11. Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled loaf. Slice and serve.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to avoid toughness. Keep some moisture in the zucchini for a moist loaf. Use fresh lemon zest and juice for best flavor. Cool loaf completely before frosting to prevent melting. If frosting is too soft, chill for 15 minutes before spreading.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon zucchini loaf, poppy seed bread, cream cheese frosting, moist zucchini bread, lemon poppy seed loaf, easy zucchini loaf, summer baking

Find it online: https://gleamgulp.com/moist-lemon-poppy-seed-zucchini-loaf-recipe-with-easy-cream-cheese-frosting/