Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

I think we had frost last night. I’m not sure. I got home at midnight after a 15-hour day which involved three amazingly inspiring meetings and one stomach-churning moment where I irrevocably shattered the screen on my beloved iPad. I’m proud to say I didn’t cry. I wanted to, but I was in the CBC building and George Stroumboulopoulos was playing hockey in the foyer 10 feet away with a camera operator filming him, and I just knew if I cried I’d end up on TV — and not in a good way.

Anyway, back to the frost. I think we had some. Which means some with-it family member likely harvested all the zucchini. Which means I will open the kitchen door and find a large green vegetable approximately the size of a well-fed racoon on my stoop. I will be expected to “do something creative” with it. It will be said with love and admiration and the belief that I can pull something off. Even when I’m tired and wondering if my extended warranty covers shattered iPad screens.

But I’m ready for them. I have a plan in place: Zucchini bread.

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

I know zucchini bread doesn’t sound all that creative, but this version is light, citrusy and flecked with delicate green bits of zucchini. It’s not some lunchbox snack. This is worthy of afternoon tea. Perhaps not with the Queen, but with someone you like. Plus it has glaze. Glaze turns any loaf into a creative endeavour.

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

My cousin sent me a variation of this recipe, which I just had to fiddle with because I can never leave well enough alone. It’s so good it almost makes me forget about my poor, shattered iPad. Almost.

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

How do you deal with the influx of zucchini?

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Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread

Lime-Glazed Zucchini Bread: A great way to deal with the zucchini onslaught - TheMessyBaker.com

This moist, citrusy loaf is a delicious way to use up extra zuchhini from the garden. Or your neighbour’s garden.

  • Author: Charmian Christie
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 8 to 10 1x
  • Category: Baked Goods
  • Cuisine: Summer

Ingredients

Scale

Loaf

  • 1 cup grated zucchini
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • zest of 1 large lime (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • remaining lime zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan or 3 6-inch by 3-inch mini pans.

Loaf

  1. Wash the zucchini. If it’s large, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon or melon baller. Grate the unpeeled zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Place in a colander to drain and set aside.
  2. In large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the oil and sugar, and blend until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Add the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon lime zest and the lime juice, and whisk until well blended. Using a scraper, fold the zucchini into the egg mixture until evenly distributed. Fold the wet mixture into to the dry ingredients, blending until just mixed. Do not over-mix.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes for mini pans, 40-45 minutes for large loaf pan, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Glaze

  1. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, lime juice and any remaining zest together to form a glaze. Set aside and stir well again just before using.
  2. As soon as the loaf pan(s) are removed from the oven, poke holes in the top with a skewer. I poke a wooden skewer all the way to the bottom of the pan. If using a metal skewer, be careful not to scratch the pan. Spoon the glaze evenly over the top of the loaf/loaves until all the glaze has been absorbed. Let cool in the pan.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from nancycreative.

Did you make this recipe?

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11 Comments
  • Dianne Jacob
    Posted at 15:05h, 24 September

    Hey Charmian, I saw the tweets about the conference. Did you really come home and then write this post? If so, unbelievable. You need some sleep, girl.

    I have not thought about lime in zucchini bread and it’s a brilliant idea to perk it up.

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 15:10h, 24 September

    I wrote the post this morning after a few hours sleep. To be clear, I had baked and photographed the zucchini bread a while ago and what just waiting for a good time to share it.

    I figured this was a good time.

  • Robin Smart
    Posted at 00:38h, 25 September

    I LOVE this recipe. I’ve had it and think it is wonderful. I should have thought to asked for this for my birthday cake!
    People will rave once they make this loaf.
    Really sorry about your iPad.
    Cheers,
    Robin

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 15:48h, 25 September

    Thanks, Lisa. Oddly enough, although I love chocolate and am inundated with zuchhini in the summer, I have never made chocolate zucchini bread. If you have a link to it on your blog, feel free to post it in the comments.

    As with your chocolate zucchini bread, you wouldn’t know the zuchhini is here. It provides a bit of colour and moisture, but if you didn’t tell anyone it was there, they wouldn’t know it.

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 16:05h, 25 September

    Thanks for a) the enthusiastic support of the recipe. Yes, it’s a keeper. I had no idea you liked it so much. I’ll have to make it again soon.

    And b) your condolences on my iPad. The next one gets a special protective case and will never, EVER go in the front flap of my backpack. Lesson learned.

  • Lisa Waterman Gray
    Posted at 15:07h, 25 September

    This looks like a great recipe in addition to a well-told story. And I so empathize with not being able to leave well enough alone when facing a ‘new’ recipe.

    I received a recipe for Chocolate Zucchini bread while on a press trip, a couple of years ago, that is another knockout – in this case you hardly know the zucchini is in there.

  • Judith Godfrey
    Posted at 16:31h, 19 October

    I’m just getting around to reading this Charmian, now realizing how you smashed your iPad! I would still be in mourning if I were you…I’m sure of it. New one yet? And I must try this twist on that zucchini recipe; we love lime! Thanks dear one.

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 20:21h, 20 October

    Thanks for your commiseration. I did replace it but the whole story is very long and involved. I now have a new iPad and a very special keyboard case that will likely survive being dropped from the roof. I will not test this theory.

    One good thing about zucchini bread — you can make it any time of year since zucchini is always in the grocery store. I like the lime, but the lemon version would be lovely too. Either would be better if shared with you over a cup of tea. 🙂

  • Julia Day
    Posted at 15:13h, 10 December

    Does this freeze well?

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 19:24h, 10 December

    Yes, it freezes nicely.

  • Kristen Maxfield
    Posted at 18:15h, 10 December

    Just made it and it’s MOIST and DELICIOUS!!! I increased the salt to 1 teaspoon and that’s the only adjustment it needed. I will surely be making this again. I like to shred excess zucchini and freeze it for all types of recipes in the winter.