Go Back

Orange Zucchini Bread

Orange zucchini bread with a tender golden crumb and a glossy orange glaze. Grated zucchini is squeezed dry and folded in so the loaf stays bright, fragrant, and moist without being heavy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Orange zucchini bread batter
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 orange zest zest of 2 oranges
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
Orange glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest for glaze

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the batter releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until evenly combined.
  3. Beat the granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, fresh orange juice, orange zest, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Stir in the zucchini, grated and squeezed dry, distributing it through the batter.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, stopping as soon as no flour streaks remain.
  6. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50–58 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden.
Cool and glaze
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes, until it is warm and glaze-ready but not piping hot.
  2. Whisk powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange zest for the orange glaze until smooth.
  3. Drizzle the orange glaze generously over the warm loaf so it sets with a glossy sheen.

Notes

For best texture, squeeze grated zucchini very well so excess moisture doesn’t make the crumb gummy. Store at room temperature covered up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze the baked loaf (glaze after thawing for the prettiest finish) for up to 2 months. To make it lighter, you can swap half the vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce, keeping the same baking time.