Summer Baking – Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Bread

  Despite the heat, I still love to bake during those hot summer months. I especially love making delicious treats that include in season fruits and vegetables. Summer is the time where New Jersey shows that it truly is aptly named “The Garden State” with farm stands and farmer’s markets in abundance everywhere you turn. I get spoiled buying all my produce at these places: carrots, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes of all shapes and colors, blueberries, peaches, cherries, and freshly made jams of all flavors. Yum!

Yesterday after a quick trip to my local farm stand to get some zucchini, I decided to make a recipe I found in my Cooking Light cookbook. Not only did it come out moist and delicious, but it’s high in flavor too – who knew zucchini and lemon would pair so well together?

Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Bread

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup finely shredded zucchini (approx. one medium-sized zucchini)

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 Tbsp grated lemon rind

1 large egg (got this farm-fresh too!)

Cooking spray

1 cup sifted powder sugar

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, rind, and egg in separate bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir until just moist.

3. Spoon batter into a n 8×4″ loaf pan (I used a 9×5″ and shortened the cooking time by 10 minutes) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaf 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove loaf from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice; stir with a whisk. Drizzle over loaf.

Enjoy!