My sourdough zucchini bread is an easy bowl and spoon recipe that uses sourdough discard and 2 cups of fresh zucchini for an incredibly moist, tender loaf. Best of all, there’s no squeezing required! The extra moisture from the zucchini helps create an ultra-moist, lofty crumb. Finished with lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and a crunchy sugar crust, it’s the perfect way to enjoy summer zucchini.
Moist, and Tender: My Best Sourdough Zucchini Bread
Mmmmm… can you smell it?
You’re going to love how zucchini bread makes your home smell while it’s baking! It’s a recipe I tested seven times to get just right. Tweaking the sweetness, testing various oils with just the right amount of cinnamon and lemon and an irresistible top sugary crust led me to finally getting this loaf just right; my best sourdough zucchini bread.
If you’ve made my Everyday Sourdough Banana Bread or this reader favorite Moist Banana Bread Recipe, you know you won’t find dry quick bread recipes around here. The magic is in the discard! If you have leftover discard after feeding your sourdough starter, hold on to it and repurpose it. Sourdough starter discard is delicious in baked goods!
This Recipe is
- moist, tender, with a velvety crumb
- easy to make with bowl and spoon (no mixer needed)
- maxed out with zucchini – 2 cups worth!
If you love making homemade quick bread recipes, and Sourdough Discard Recipes you’ll enjoy this seasonal delight!
About the Key Ingredients
- Light Brown Sugar and Cane Sugar: brown sugar to add moisture and complex caramely-sweet flavor while cane sugar offers a sweet-neutral flavor. A balance of the two allows the cinnamon and lemon to come through without being outshined by the delicious flavor of brown sugar.
- Melted Coconut Oil: tenderizes the bread. You can use refined or unrefined coconut oil. Unrefined lightly carries the coconut flavor (this is what I use) while refined is more neutral in flavor. You can substitute canola oil if desired.
- Sourdough Discard (leftover sourdough starter): adds tangy flavor, tenderness and moisture. This recipe calls for 100% hydration sourdough discard. If you need a sourdough starter (to create sourdough discard), I have a handy sourdough starter guide on the blog.
- Lemon Zest: lightly scented with lemon zest, it adds complex flavor and a touch of fresh lemony brightness.
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How to Make Sourdough Zucchini Bread
step by step
I tested this recipe with three different vegetable oils (coconut, canola, avocado) and while all of them worked, my favorite is unrefined coconut oil. Melted, warm coconut creates a stiff batter since it cools while mixing and because coconut oil is solid at room temperature.
Before baking, rest the batter for 15-20 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate, and also, gives the zucchini bread just a bit taller rise.
Traci’s Tips
- Give it Time: Make your zucchini bread at least one day ahead, if you can, since it improves with a little age. Stored properly, this quick bread is better on day two and three because its flavor deepens, and the crust and crumb soften.
- Sugar Crust: during my testing, I started sprinkling the top of the zucchini bread with raw (turbinado) sugar prior to baking. It creates an irresistible crunch on top, and adds just a bit more sweetness. It’s optional, but recommended!
- In baking, weighing ingredients is essential for optimal outcome. If baking regularly, I recommend investing in a good digital kitchen scale (affiliate link). It’s also handy for measuring right into a bowl (no extra measuring cups needed!).
Moist Sourdough Zucchini Bread with Lemon
My sourdough zucchini bread is an easy bowl and spoon recipe that uses sourdough discard and 2 cups of fresh zucchini for an incredibly moist, tender loaf. Best of all, there's no squeezing required! The extra moisture from the zucchini helps create an ultra-moist, lofty crumb. Finished with lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and a crunchy sugar crust, it's the perfect way to enjoy summer zucchini.*NOTE* Temperature Decrease: The oven is preheated to 425°F. Once the bread is placed inside the oven, the temperature is turned down to 350°F. The initial high heat helps create good oven spring. Once in the oven, the temperature is reduced, allowing the bread to bake through slowly while creating a golden brown crust.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (215 grams) All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
Wet Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggs, *room temperature
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (85 grams) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (90 grams) Organic Cane Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest, from about 2 large lemons
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) Melted Coconut Oil, warm to touch (about 100 F) unrefined, or use canola oil (105 grams)
- 1/2 cup (140 grams) Sourdough Discard, 100% hydration
- 2 cups (310 grams) Shredded Zucchini, on the large holes of a box grater (coarse), unsqueezed. from about 2 medium zucchini (12.5 ounces / 354 grams)
- 1 1/2 -2 tablespoons Turbinado or Raw Sugar, optional, for finishing the top
Instructions
Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, cane sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and last, warm coconut oil. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
- To the bowl, whisk in the sourdough discard until no discard streaks remain.
Mix the Batter
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once. Use a wood spoon to gently fold the ingredients together until no dry patches of flour remain. The batter will become stiffer as you mix (don't worry!), if using coconut oil. If using canola, the batter will be loose.
- Set a timer and rest the batter for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
Get Ready to Bake
- Meanwhile, arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit (218 Celsius).
- Thoroughly coat a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 centimeters) loaf pan (this is the pan I use – affiliate link) with coconut oil, or mild olive oil – get the corners good! Optionally line the pan with parchment for easy release and removal. Set aside.
Add the Zucchini & Pan
- To the mixing bowl, add the grated zucchini and any juices. Use a wood spoon to mix, folding, pressing and smearing the batter until the zucchini is incorporated throughout. It will seem like a lot of zucchini as you mix, but the batter will loosen and the zucchini will become evenly distributed.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Using an offset spatula, smooth the top evenly. Sprinkle the top with raw sugar, if using.
Bake
- Place the pan into the 425 Fahrenheit (218 Celsius) preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius). Bake for 65-75 minutes. I never tent this bread with aluminum foil, but if your bread is getting *too* dark, feel free to tent it at about 50 minutes.
- The zucchini bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean (a few dry crumbs are okay) inserted top center, and is dark golden brown. An instant read food thermometer (affiliate link) will read between 190-195 Fahrenheit when done.
- Transfer to a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Tap the pan against the counter, and gently turn out onto the cooling rack. If the bread is sticking to the pan, use a pairing knife around the edges to ease the sides. Cool completely.
Store
- Store at room temperature in a covered container for up to four days. Its flavor deepens and the crust softens on day two. To freeze: freeze slices in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer slices to a lidded container or freezer bag for up to two weeks. Sliced zucchini bread can go from freezer to toaster, double toasted if the slice is thick.
Notes
*Room Temperature Eggs: remove straight from the refrigerator and soak in warm water for about 5-10 minutes.
Recipe adapted from my Sourdough Discard Banana Bread.
Estimated nutrition is for one slice from a loaf with 9 pieces.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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