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Orange Zucchini Bread

Orange zucchini bread with a bright citrus crumb and a quick orange glaze drizzle. This orange zucchini loaf bakes until golden and tender, then finishes with a glossy white-orange glaze.
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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: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Orange Zucchini Bread
  • 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
  • 0.333 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.25 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 oranges zest, divided for batter and glaze
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Orange Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the batter releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until evenly blended.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, fresh orange juice, orange zest, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  4. Stir in grated zucchini that has been squeezed dry to prevent a gummy crumb.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
  7. Bake 50–58 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden.
Glaze and cool
  1. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes so the glaze sets without sliding.
  2. Whisk powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange zest until thick and pourable.
  3. Drizzle the orange glaze generously over the warm loaf, letting it run slightly for an even sheen.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the grated zucchini very well so the loaf bakes up tender instead of dense. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze sliced bread up to 3 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). For a lightly dairy-free option, swap sour cream with an equal-weight plain vegan yogurt for a similar moist crumb.