Who doesn’t love sweet bread packed with fresh juicy berries? My super delicious and easy to make healthy version of Blueberry Zucchini Bread, with a cashew lemon glaze (no powdered sugar), is perfect for any midmorning brunch or can be served as a guilt-free dessert at the end of the day.
This recipe was originally published on May 10, 2016, and was republished in June 2020 to add better quality photos, re-test the recipe, and add more helpful tips.
I have always been a lover of sweet breads and blueberries are one of my all-time favorite summer fruits. So, I decided to put the two together. The sweetness of the blueberries along with their mild acidic flavor pairs nicely with the soft floral sweetness of the zucchini. The lemon glaze on top adds just the right amount of tartness to cut through the sweet flavor and adds an extra depth of flavor.
Blueberries are a great addition to sweet breads and you can use fresh or frozen berries. When you add blueberries to your batter, toss them in a little bit of flour first. This helps the blueberries adhere to the batter and keeps them from sinking to the bottom while baking. Just make sure to account for the flour you used for the blueberries to your baking dry ingredients.
Zucchini is also great for sweet breads, because it makes the bread soft and moist. You can also use fresh or frozen zucchini. Zucchini does not need to be peeled before shredding and overgrown slightly bitter zucchini, you sometimes find in your garden, can be used without compromising the flavor of your bread.
A healthy option
As an added bonus to this delicious sweet bread I use white spelt flour, maple syrup (actually, I used agave nectar when I made a video for this recipe but now I read some information that it’s not the best sweetener to use so I recommend sticking to maple syrup), and a healthy cashew lemon glaze (no powdered sugar or any powdered sweetener at all!). So there is no guilt.
Spelt flour has a nutty softly sweet flavor to it, which tastes great with the zucchini. Spelt flour contains many health benefits that traditional white flour does not. It’s packed with protein and fiber. It is also more water-soluble, which makes it easier for the body to digest it. BUT you can easily use all-purpose flour instead if you want to. The bread just won’t be as nutritious.
Maple syrup contains antioxidants and minerals so it’s a way better option than refined sugar.
A cashew lemon glaze is made with only cashew butter, lemon juice, maple syrup, and almond milk. No powdered sugar or any other powdered sweetener! And it looks good on your bread. And it tastes amazing too! It’s one of my most favorite discoveries lately.
Kid-friendly
Your kids will fall in love with this bread too and it is a yummy (and sneaky) way to get some good fiber and nutrients into their diet after a long day of play in the hot summer sun. It can also be baked in muffin tins to make an easy grab-and-go breakfast or pre-football game snack.
This bread literally melts in your mouth and the cashew lemon glaze is like a cherry on top. It makes this already great bread even better! Once you make this healthy blueberry zucchini bread once, you won’t be able to resist making it again and again. Take my word for it, it is a must-try.
This is now my new favorite summertime bread, but a close second is definitely my Strawberry Rhubarb Bread and Banana Walnut Bread. Give all of them a try and then tell me what you think.
Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Bread
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 2/3 cups (235g) white spelt flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil , melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup grated zucchini , drained
- 1 cup blueberries , fresh or frozen
For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp almond milk or more, as needed
For sprinkling:
- lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
The bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and eggs until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract, yogurt, and lemon zest. Gradually add the flour mixture until combined.
- Using a spatula, fold in the grated zucchini and blueberries, stirring gently just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before topping with the glaze.
The glaze:
- In a small bowl, combine together the cashew butter, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Add the almond milk, one teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pour the glaze over the bread. Sprinkle some zest over the top.
4 Comments
Betty Johnson
August 2, 2016 at 6:25 pmTried the blueberry zucchini bread substituted pineapples for blueberries and coconut sugar forr regular sugar.FANTASTIC!!!!
Jovita
August 7, 2016 at 7:23 amI am glad you liked it, Betty!
Sarah
April 7, 2019 at 4:46 amWondering when to top the bread with glaze? While it it still warm, or after it has cooled?
Jovita
May 1, 2019 at 12:53 pmIt has to cool down, Sarah 🙂