Summer Squash Bread is the best way to use up all those giant yellow squash in the garden!
Summer squash bread sounds kind of weird, doesn’t it?
I grew a garden for the first time this year, and like a total amateur I planted way too many squash and zucchini seeds and when I ended up with THREE plants of each, I didn’t have the heart to thin them back.
Those of you who have grown summer squash and zucchini understand how ridiculous that is. I’m swimming in vegetables over here and quickly running out of ways to use them.
Since I essentially create recipes for a living, you would think I’d be the perfect person to deal with a huge basket of produce harvested from my garden each morning. Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case.
See, I plan out (most of) my recipes and posts weeks in advance, and I also work on a freelance basis to create recipes for other companies. Regardless of the time of year, or what I have lying around the kitchen, sometimes I’m just too busy working on specific recipes to make use of what’s in front of me.
Last week I came home from a camping trip and found about 10 gigantic squash and zucchini out in the garden, each one roughly the size of a football. These extra-large varieties typically have a firmer texture and larger seeds than the more appropriately-sized specimens sold at the grocery store, so just about the only thing I could think to do was to turn them into bread.
Zucchini bread is a given, but what to do with the squash? Uhhhh… how about Lemon Poppy Seed Summer Squash Bread?!
Years ago when I acquired my first stand mixer, I also got the slicer/shredder attachment. As far as attachments go, it might be the most basic of them all, but it’s one of my very favorites. It’s cheap, effective, easy to clean, and easy to store.
In 10 minutes, I had enough shredded squash and zucchini to bake close to 50 loaves of quick bread. I kept the squash and zucchini separate, and froze it all in 2-cup portions for future use.
This summer squash bread is so damn good, I think it qualifies as a dessert rather than a quick bread. I thought about covering it with icing, but honestly it doesn’t need it. It doesn’t even need to be slathered in butter, which is my natural instinct for zucchini bread.
Go grab those huge squash out of your garden and get ready for a treat!
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Here’s Your Recipe!
Lemon Poppy Seed Summer Squash Bread
Summer Squash Bread is the best way to use up all those giant yellow squash in the garden!
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- Juice and zest of 2 small lemons
- 1 teaspoon almond flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups grated summer squash
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or line two loaf pans; set aside.
- Place the melted butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest, almond flavor and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Cream together until fluffy and light in color, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate into the mixture before adding another.
- Evenly sprinkle the salt, baking soda, and baking powder over the top of the mixture. Mix well.
- Working in batches, add the flour a 1/2 cup at a time; mix in entirely between additions. Fold in the squash and poppy seeds. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean
Nutrition Information
Amount Per ServingCalories 344 Total Fat 1g Carbohydrates 72g Protein 10g
Comments
What size loaf pans?
Just when I was going to discontinue growing yellow zucchini because family does not care for it as much as green zucchini..,..OMG! I made this with one of my “giant” yellow zucchini and omitted the poppy seeds as I did not want to go to the store, Results of this recipe is to die for!! Simple and like eating a cloud. I did peel the squash as the skin was pretty thick. I also drizzled a lemon icing over it to make up for the absence of poppy seeds. This is going to be my new signature zucchini bread. (Icing was 1TBLS butter melted in microwave,zest and juice if a small lemon and 1/2cup powdered sugar mixed til smooth and poured over the still warm bread). Outstanding! I will definitely try it with the poppy seeds next time. I’m sure that’s even better. Thank you for this recipe.
Wow! Just tried a piece of the lemon poppy seed summer squash bread very very good thank you so much. My first time growing crookneck yellow summer squash and I have plenty of it.
I followed the recipe, but instead of making 2 loaves I made 24 muffins (much simpler for serving at work). I baked them at 325 degrees for 21 minutes. Not a crumb left! I adore the combo of lemon and almond. These simple, down-home squash muffins are beautiful and elegant! Incredibly moist and delicious! I may give a tart lemon icing a try – can only make them even more incredible!
I’ve been making Zucchini Bread for 40 years…crushed pineapple, chopped walnuts, you know the drill.
Anyway, yesterday I was wondering what to do with 6 medium yellow squash and found your recipe. It is terrific. There’s no ‘evidence’ of squash like with zucchini. My grands were none the wiser. I’ll be making this again. Oh, and I did add some bottled lemon juice since my lemons were not that juicy. Many thanks.
do you need to take the moisture out of the squash before using it?
Nope!
Has anyone tried this with a Dairy free butter alternative? Just wondering if an oil or butter substitute would work?
Haha, I was reading this reciper and kept going back to ingredients, wondering why only 1 TEASPOON of almond FLOUR – it’s almond FLAVOR! Sounds yummy – I am so glad I started searching what to do with all my yellow squash. Making it now!
This redcipe was just what I was looking for! I too love anything lemon and the fact that it calls for almond flavoring makes a delicious difference. I have an apple bread recipe that calls for both vanilla and almond flavoring and the same is true in that bread. It is “over the top” delicious, but no one can seem to figure out the secret ingredient! Thank you for the post. Our garden is producing more yellow squash than we can use and give away. I’m sure our neighbors will be thrilled with a loaf of Lemon Squash Bread!!!