Print

Tender Brown Butter Lemon Zucchini Bread with Poppy Seed Streusel

brown butter lemon zucchini bread - featured image
Print Recipe

A moist and tender zucchini bread featuring nutty brown butter, bright lemon zest, and a crunchy poppy seed streusel topping. Perfect for quick baking and crowd-pleasing occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis), excess moisture squeezed out
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, browned
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • 3 tablespoons (43g) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
  2. Grate zucchini using a box grater or food processor. Place grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
  3. Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden brown and nutty smelling (about 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat immediately.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the cooled browned butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to the sugar-egg mixture and stir until combined.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  7. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined; avoid overmixing.
  8. Fold in the grated zucchini gently.
  9. Prepare the streusel topping by mixing brown sugar, flour, poppy seeds, and cold butter cubes in a small bowl. Use fingers or a pastry cutter to crumble until pea-sized bits form.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the surface.
  11. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil halfway through if streusel browns too quickly.
  12. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Brown the butter carefully using a light-colored pan to avoid burning. Squeeze out excess moisture from zucchini to prevent soggy bread. Fold batter gently to avoid tough texture. If streusel browns too fast, tent with foil halfway through baking. For gluten-free, substitute flour with gluten-free blend and add an extra egg or flaxseed meal. For vegan, use dairy-free butter and flax eggs.

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini bread, lemon zucchini bread, brown butter, poppy seed streusel, moist bread, quick bread, lemon zest, baking

Find it online: https://vexifood.com/tender-brown-butter-lemon-zucchini-bread-with-poppy-seed-streusel-recipe-for-perfect-moist-loaves/