Zesty Lemon Zucchini Coffee Cake

I never thought to put zucchini in a coffee cake until I saw my neighbor doing it one summer when she had way too many growing in her garden. Growing up, coffee cake at our house was always the same – brown sugar and cinnamon, nothing fancy.

But here’s the thing about adding zucchini – it makes the cake incredibly moist, and when you pair it with lemon, it creates this light, fresh taste that’s perfect for breakfast or brunch. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to use up all those extra zucchini that seem to multiply overnight in your garden during the summer months.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

For baking, you’ll want to pick medium-sized zucchini that are about 6-8 inches long – these tend to have the perfect moisture content and fewer seeds than larger ones. The really big zucchini from your garden might be tempting to use, but they can be watery and have tough seeds that could affect your coffee cake’s texture. There’s no need to peel your zucchini for this recipe since the skin is soft and adds nice little green flecks to your baked goods. Just be sure to give it a good wash, trim off the ends, and grate it using the large holes of a box grater. If your shredded zucchini seems especially wet, you can pat it lightly with a paper towel, but don’t squeeze out too much moisture as it helps keep your cake moist.

Options for Substitutions

This coffee cake recipe has several ingredients that you can swap if needed:

• Greek yogurt: If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can use regular plain yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk. If using regular yogurt, strain it in a coffee filter for 30 minutes first to remove excess liquid.
• Vegetable oil: Feel free to use canola oil, melted coconut oil, or even melted butter instead. Each will give a slightly different but equally good result.
• Meyer lemons: Regular lemons work perfectly fine here. You could even mix things up with a combination of lemon and lime, or use orange zest for a different citrus twist.
• Zucchini: Yellow summer squash can be used instead of zucchini – just make sure to squeeze out excess moisture either way. You’ll get the same moisture and texture in your cake.
• Brown sugar: For the streusel, you can use all white sugar if you’re out of brown sugar. Or make your own brown sugar by mixing 3 tablespoons white sugar with ¼ teaspoon molasses.
• All-purpose flour: This is pretty important for the right texture, but you can use cake flour if you have it – just add an extra 2 tablespoons per cup of flour called for in the recipe.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when baking with zucchini is excess moisture – make sure to gently squeeze out the liquid from your shredded zucchini using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels before adding it to your batter, or you’ll end up with a dense, under-baked center. Another common mistake is overmixing the batter once you’ve added the flour – stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated to ensure your coffee cake stays tender and light. When making the crumb topping, the butter needs to be very cold and cut into tiny pieces – using warm or melted butter will give you a sandy texture instead of those perfect, chunky crumbs everyone loves. For the best lemon flavor, zest your lemons before juicing them, and remember to press the zest between paper towels to remove any excess moisture that could affect the cake’s texture.

What to Serve With Lemon Zucchini Coffee Cake?

This bright and moist coffee cake is perfect for breakfast or brunch, and there are lots of tasty ways to serve it! A hot cup of coffee or tea is the natural choice – I particularly like a light roast coffee or Earl Grey tea since their flavors won’t overpower the lemony notes. For a complete breakfast spread, pair your cake with some fresh fruit like strawberries or blueberries, which complement the citrus flavors nicely. If you’re serving this for afternoon tea, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes this treat even more special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This lemon zucchini coffee cake stays moist and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you live somewhere humid, it’s better to pop it in the fridge where it’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. Just make sure to wrap it well to keep that crumb topping nice and crisp!

Freeze: Good news – this coffee cake freezes really well! Cut it into individual slices, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. It’s super handy when you want just one piece for breakfast or with your afternoon coffee.

Thaw & Enjoy: When you’re ready for a slice, just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for about an hour. If you like it slightly warm, pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. The glaze might look a bit different after freezing, but it’ll still taste great!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	35-42 minutes
Total Time	50-62 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 230-250 g

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 lemons (zested and juiced)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (room temperature for better mixing)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)

For the crumb topping

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• Pinch salt
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (finely grated for bright flavor)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the glaze

• 1 tsp milk
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

Step 1: Prep Ingredients and Preheat Oven

• 2 lemons
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

While the oven heats, prepare your mise en place: zest both lemons (you’ll need about 3.5 teaspoons total), then juice them to get approximately 1/2 cup of juice.

Shred your zucchini and squeeze out excess moisture by wrapping it in a clean kitchen towel and pressing firmly—this prevents a soggy cake.

Bring your eggs and yogurt to room temperature if they aren’t already, as this helps them incorporate smoothly into the batter.

Cut the cold butter into small pieces for the topping and sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.

Step 2: Create the Dry Ingredient Mixture for the Cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine thoroughly so the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

Set this mixture aside—you’ll add it to the wet ingredients in the next step.

Step 3: Build the Wet Batter Base

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini

In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 room-temperature eggs, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until well combined and slightly lightened in color.

This blending step aerates the batter and ensures even mixing.

Gently fold in the prepared zucchini until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.

Step 4: Combine Batter and Prepare for Topping

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• wet batter from Step 3

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet batter from Step 3, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—a few small lumps are fine.

Overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough cake, so resist the urge to beat it smooth.

Pour the batter into your prepared 9-inch baking dish and spread evenly.

Step 5: Make and Add the Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1.5 tsp lemon zest
• Pinch salt
• 3 tbsp butter

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest, and a pinch of salt.

Add the cold butter pieces and work the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining—the cold butter is key to creating a tender, crumbly texture.

I like to keep some larger butter pieces intact rather than fully incorporating them, as this gives you a more interesting texture in the final topping.

Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter.

Step 6: Bake and Cool the Coffee Cake

Place the baking dish in your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 35 to 42 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The cake will have a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan, but it should be mostly set.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before adding the glaze—this allows the cake to set enough to support the drizzle without it sinking into the warm crumb.

Step 7: Prepare Glaze and Finish the Cake

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp milk

While the cake cools, make the glaze by whisking together 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar, 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon milk in a small bowl until you reach a pourable consistency—it should be thick enough to drizzle without running off, but thin enough to spread easily.

If it’s too thick, add a few more drops of milk; if too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

Once the cake has cooled for at least 15 minutes, drizzle the glaze decoratively over the top in a thin stream or zigzag pattern.