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Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

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Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

Making zucchini bread has me feeling a little bit like a magician.

When using the finer side of a box grater to shred zucchini, we can create a disappearing act so convincing, people will wonder if David Copperfield is in the room. As the bread bakes and becomes golden, the zucchini disappears and what we’re left with is a tender tasty bread with subtle zucchini flavor, and little winks of green indicating that something earthy played a role here. The inclusion of olive oil also works to enhance the flavors and moisture along with providing healthy fats and antioxidants.

Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

Okay…this Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle has me dreaming of spades and shovels, trowels and pitchforks…

Once upon time, Dom and I made a very valiant effort at having a garden but it was all we could do to keep the deer and bunnies away. We planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini. I even planted a lovely border of marigolds around our 10×8 swatch of salad, but their little flower faces did nothing to scare away the visitors. And although much of what we planted became the blue plate special for our animal kingdom, we did manage to produce enough zucchini to make more than a loaf of bread or two.

Who doesn’t love the versatility of zucchini? Soups, fritters, frittatas…the options are endless.

This bread is a treat all by itself, but by adding a healthy drizzle of lemon crunch it goes from great to superb. It’s like the difference between a cup of vanilla bean ice cream and a cup of vanilla bean ice cream with warm chocolate sauce, chopped nuts and a cherry on top.

Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

There’s something about this crunchy citrus-y drizzle-y drizzle on soft sweet cake-y zucchini bread that has me thinking those bunnies weren’t so bad…

There just may be another outdoor salad bar in our future…

Buon Appetito!

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Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

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  • Author: Ciao Chow Bambina
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a bread pan. Set aside.
  2. Place walnuts in a single layer in a small frying pan. Over medium heat, toast them until golden brown and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Cool the walnuts completely and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat olive oil, eggs, zucchini and vanilla for about 3 minutes, until light and fully incorporated.
  5. Add wet mixture and walnuts to dry mixture and stir until fully combined. It will have a (relatively) thick consistency. Not as loose as traditional cake batter.
  6. Pour batter into pan.
  7. Bake for 1 1/4 hrs. or until toothpick comes out with very little crumb attached.
  8. In the meantime prepare the lemon drizzle.
  9. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and granulated sugar, then whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until mixture is completely smooth.
  10. Remove bread from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
  11. Carefully invert it onto a wire rack.
  12. Using a spoon, drizzle the lemon drizzle atop the bread. It will adhere to the bread and set as it cools.
  13. Transfer bread to a serving plate.
  14. Slice and serve.

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Zucchini & Olive Oil Bread with Lemon Crunch Drizzle

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Comments

  1. I remember being so proud of myself when I was a kid that I actually like zucchini bread, haha! I’m not sure if it is the zucchinis, but there is something so delicious about it! I bet it tastes even better with that lemon glaze all over it 🙂

    Reply

  4. Growing one’s own food is a rewarding experience. It certainly helps me appreciate the work farmers put into their crops, especially with organic farming. We had a garden for many years, and I think my most favorite part of it was the strawberries. We even had bunnies nest in them for several years. We had so many berries, we didn’t mind sharing. It was the deer who came and ate what they wanted. Luckily they only visited every now and then so it wasn’t too bad. And zucchini, well, I know my CSA will be overflowing with them come late summer, so I’m pinning this for later! Thank you, Annie…. it sounds so, so good, especially with that lemon crunch drizzle!! YUM!

    Reply

    • Oh my – you could not be more right! I so appreciate the work farmers do. You know, your last post talking about your CSA inspired me to check out what we have here and I’m very excited about the prospects. I’ll keep you posted. I love the idea of bunnies nestled in with your strawberries – what a sweet visual. Thank you my dear, I hope you like it!

      Reply

  5. Love the bread Annie and the drizzle is beautiful!

    PS: Did you really have to say this ” cup of vanilla bean ice cream with warm chocolate sauce, chopped nuts and a cherry on top.” Gahhh I can visualize the entire thing and want a cup like right now! 🙁

    Reply

  7. Looks gorgeous Annie! Zucchini bread is my all time favorite! Can’t wait to try this recipe , and of course the drizzle looks delicious!

    Reply

  8. Whoa – This sounds great. Still wondering where the crunch will show up in that exquisite drizzle but I guess I’ll have to try it to see. Just thinking about this zucchini bread is gonna drive me nuts until I can make it. Cheers!

    Reply

  9. Annie, I’m drooling! I make zucchini bread every summer, but for some reason I never did last season. I felt like something was missing. This is a good reminder to fill that void. Olive oil sounds perfect in this, and with your crunchy lemon glaze, it’s over the top! (And I can’t even grow a flower, except daisies, in my yard, because of all the wildlife.)

    Reply

  10. I used to love zucchini bread when I was a kid. I don’t know why I haven’t ever thought to make it. I’m absolutely going to make this. That lemon crunch drizzle seals the deal! And outdoor salad bar? Cracked me up!

    Reply

  13. I love zucchini, but for some reason have never been able to grow it. Why? It’s supposed to be the easiest vegetable to grow, but I never get more then one or two tiny little zucchini. So annoying, everything else grows just fine! This bread looks fantastic Annie! I love that lemon drizzle on top. Pinned!

    Reply

    • Awwh…I don’t what’s happening in your garden. That is interesting! Most of the time people are like, enough already… So happy you like the bread! Thanks for the pin! 🙂

      Reply

  16. Annie, I just love zucchini bread and I love your addition of olive oil and the lemon crunch drizzle. Sorry about the bunnies and the deer – they look so cute but it’s so discouraging to come out the the garden and see the havoc that they can cause. I have the added insult of gophers to deal with!

    Reply

    • Oh no! That is an added insult that no-one needs!! It’s a good thing they’re so cute! Thank you so much, Geraldine, and I agree – zucchini bread has to be one of the most tasty moist breads I’ve made.

      Reply

  17. I absolutely LOVE sneaking zucchini into baked goods! It’s like you get double the bang for you buck – delicious AND full of vitamins! This bread looks fab-o-lous.

    Reply

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