Zucchini Lemon Coffee Cake

Tis’ the season for fresh zucchini and this zucchini lemon coffee cake is a delicious, sweet way to use up some extra zucchini. This coffee cake is delightfully moist with a tender crumb. A hint of lemon elevates this coffee cake beautifully. It’s also topped with a delicious cookie crumb and drizzled with a sweet and bright lemon glaze. This zucchini lemon coffee cake is a great summer treat to go with your afternoon iced coffee or iced tea.

This year I decided to grow three zucchini plants in my garden. With all this zucchini on hand I am needing to find lots of ways to use it up. Along with all the savory ways to serve zucchini there’s also the classic zucchini bread, which I love but I wanted to try out some new baking recipes that call for zucchini and that’s how this coffee cake was created.

What makes zucchini great for baked goods?

I remember as a kid being weirded out by zucchini bread. I never wanted to try it because my little brain couldn’t understand how a vegetable could be good in a sweet bread. Thankfully I eventually did try it and I loved it. And zucchini isn’t just good in zucchini bread. It’s great in coffee cakes like this recipe, muffins and cakes because it provides moisture and tender crumb.

Zucchini has a high moisture content which makes it great when you want to add moisture to your baked goods. And at the same time it helps create a tender crumb. Also zucchini has a fairly neutral flavor, taking on the flavors of what it’s cooked or baked with it, which is another reason it’s great for baking.

Ingredients you will need for this zucchini lemon coffee cake:

*Makes 1 – 9×13 cake.*

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup sour cream (full fat)
• 1 cup avocado oil (you can use whatever type of vegetable oil you would prefer, I prefer avocado oil)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Zest of 2 lemons
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups shredded zucchini

For the Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup) melted
• 1 tsp vanilla

For the Lemon Drizzle:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

• 1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
• 2.) Prepare the crumb topping. In a medium bowl combine the flour, almond flour, sugar and salt. Whisk together until well combined. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix together to create a nice crumb consistency, about the size of peas. Set aside for later.
• 3.) For the coffee cake in a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• 4.) In a large mixing bowl add the sugar, shredded zucchini, eggs, sour cream, oil, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice, whisk together until well combined.
• 5.) Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined.

• 6.) Pour the batter into the lined 9×13 baking dish and top with a thick layer of the crumb topping. (You may have a little of the crumb topping left over.)

• 7.) Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. *Make sure to watch the crumb topping and once it turns a light golden brown then place a piece of foil over the top for the duration of baking so the crumb topping doesn’t burn.*
• 8.) Place the dish on a wire rack to cool and once cooled enough carefully lift the coffee cake out of the baking dish with the edges of the parchment paper and place directly onto the wire rack to continue cooling.

• 9.) Once the coffee cake is cool make the lemon drizzle in a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. With the whisk drizzle over the top of the cooled coffee cake. Enjoy!

Notes:

• The baking time may vary so make sure to start checking the cake at 45 minutes.
• Make sure to watch the crumb topping and once it turns a light golden brown then place a piece of foil over the top for the duration of baking so the crumb topping doesn’t burn.
• Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2-3 days.

Pin for later!

Check out my YouTube channel and subscribe! www.youtube.com/@homespunannie