This Lemon Zucchini Bread with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze is incredibly flavorful, super moist, and just the right amount of lemony. It’s topped with a creamy vanilla bean glaze, and it makes the most perfect breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert! The best way to use up your leftover summer zucchini!
This bread. I didn’t think I could love zucchini bread any more than I do, but when you add a vanilla bean cream cheese glaze, tons of fresh lemon zest, AND whole wheat pastry flour (my fave), you get a pretty amazing bread. Love love love this recipe SO MUCH. You have to make it this weekend!
This is quite possibly the best bread I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a TON of quick breads like this. You name it, I’ve made it. Honestly probably hundreds of loaves in my lifetime. But this is my favorite!
Trust me, this bread will not last long. You may wanna make two loaves!
Just look at that drippy glaze! 😍 I really need to stop using vanilla beans so often but I’m obsessed. I’m kinda going broke from buying them..they’ve always been expensive but with the vanilla bean shortage that’s going on, it’s even worse! I’m really sad about it, but it’s still so worth it to me to buy them because they make everything incredible.
That being said, this bread is still great by itself if you didn’t want to add the glaze.
But you know how I feel about the glaze!
It’s just the right amount of creamy and vanilla-y, and it’s not too sweet. The little addition of whipped cream cheese is my favorite part! Also because lemon + cream cheese is always an amazing combo.
Also. This bread is INCREDIBLY moist. Like melt in your mouth moist. Since there’s lots of grated zucchini, sour cream, and melted butter, we’ve got all the makings of the perfect bread!
And it’s filled with veggies, which is never a bad thing. Especially when it comes to things of the bread/cake variety. 😂
I could seriously devour this whole stack in minutes. That’s how good it is.
I actually gifted the whole loaf (minus a piece or two 😉) to the flight crew when I went on a work trip to Arizona last month, and they went CRAZY over it. Like devoured it in minutes and were asking me if I had more.
It’s THAT good.
And I know that I’m always looking for ways to use up extra zucchini in the summer. Because lets be real, zucchini noodles and sautéed zucchini get a littttle old after awhile.
But this bread never ever does. Just look at it!! I can’t even.
Lemon Zucchini Bread with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
For the bread
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk*
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- butter or coconut oil for greasing pan
For the glaze
- 1/4 cup + 2T. powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan. Set aside.
Begin by combining dry ingredients. Whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together butter and sugar in another medium bowl until smooth, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Next, whisk in milk and sour cream until thoroughly combined. Fold in grated zucchini.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until the edges are golden, top is firm, and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from pan onto a cooling rack.
To make the glaze, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Once bread is completely cool, pour the glaze over bread and slice. Enjoy for breakfast or a snack or dessert!
Recipe Notes
*Make sure you're using whole wheat pastry flour, not regular whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour will be too dense dry, and gritty in this bread. Feel free to use all all-purpose flour here if you can't find whole wheat pastry flour! This
*You can substitute any milk you have on hand!
*I save the pod after removing the seeds to make vanilla bean simple syrups and to add to the pot when making oatmeal!
(This page may contain an affiliate link(s). I may be compensated through these links, but all opinions are my own. Thanks again SO much for supporting the brands that I love and use in my kitchen!)
This post was originally published on 8/29/14, but was updated with new photos and text on 7/13/18!
The bread alone looks delicious and then you add the glaze. I gotta try this!
Thanks so much Karly! The glaze definitely puts it over the top! Let me know if you try it!!
Hi – this looks amazing! In your post you talk about using oil instead of butter. The recipe has melted butter listed. Am I missing the oil or does this use butter instead? Thanks!
Hi! So sorry about the confusion – I had re-tested this recipe with just butter and actually liked it better. I just updated the text – it was from when I originally posted the recipe. The recipe is correct as written. Let me know if you try it!! 🙂
Hello! I made this bread this past Sunday. It is delicious! With the help of my husband we finished it off rather quickly. I plan to make this again and again! My glaze was a little runny because I think I put too much milk. I’ll take my time with it the next time I make it to try to figure out the problem. Thank you!
Hi Jan! Thank you SO much! It doesn’t last long in my house either haha 🙂 For the glaze, start with a tablespoon or even 1/2 a tablespoon of milk and go from there. You don’t need much!
“Begin by combing dry ingredients” Do you mean combining? Or is this some special baker’s jargon I hadn’t heard of?
Haha yes combining! So sorry Joe – thanks for catching that!!
I looooooove vanilla bean! Those beautiful black specks! That delicious flavor! This bread sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it!
Hahah the beautiful black specks get me every time!! Thanks so much and let me know if you try it!! <3