Lemon Yellow Squash Bread

The frozen shredded squash, thawed & wrung dry, into a bright lemon-spiced loaf — bread that eats like dessert

1 loaf · 15 min

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2 cups shredded yellow squash, thawed & wrung very dry (measure after squeezing)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda · ½ tsp baking powder · ½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon · ¼ tsp nutmeg (or cardamom)
½ cup neutral oil
¾ cup granulated sugar · ¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs · 1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon + 1 Tbsp juice
optional glaze: ¾ cup powdered sugar + 1–2 Tbsp lemon juice

What you need

2 cups shredded yellow squash, thawed & wrung very dry (measure after squeezing)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda · ½ tsp baking powder · ½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon · ¼ tsp nutmeg (or cardamom)

½ cup neutral oil

¾ cup granulated sugar · ¼ cup brown sugar

2 eggs · 1 tsp vanilla

zest of 1 lemon + 1 Tbsp juice

optional glaze: ¾ cup powdered sugar + 1–2 Tbsp lemon juice

Wring the squash dry — don't skip this. Thaw the shredded squash, then squeeze it hard in a clean towel until it stops dripping — you'll pull out a shocking amount of water. Then measure your 2 cups. Frozen-thawed squash is far wetter than fresh, and skipping this is the one way to wreck the loaf.
Whisk the dry. In a big bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Whisk the wet, fold the squash. In another bowl whisk the oil, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest & juice until smooth; stir in the wrung-out squash.
Combine, barely. Fold the wet into the dry just until no flour streaks remain — overmixing makes it tough and tunneled.
Bake. Scrape into a greased & parchment-lined 9×5 loaf pan; bake at 350°F ~50–60 min (minis ~30), until deep golden and a tester comes out clean. Tent with foil if it browns before the center sets.
Cool, then glaze. Cool in the pan 10 min, turn out, and cool fully. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice into a glaze and drizzle — that's the move that tips it toward dessert.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Wring the squash dry — don't skip this. Thaw the shredded squash, then squeeze it hard in a clean towel until it stops dripping — you'll pull out a shocking amount of water. Then measure your 2 cups. Frozen-thawed squash is far wetter than fresh, and skipping this is the one way to wreck the loaf.

2. Whisk the dry. In a big bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

3. Whisk the wet, fold the squash. In another bowl whisk the oil, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest & juice until smooth; stir in the wrung-out squash.

4. Combine, barely. Fold the wet into the dry just until no flour streaks remain — overmixing makes it tough and tunneled.

5. Bake. Scrape into a greased & parchment-lined 9×5 loaf pan; bake at 350°F ~50–60 min (minis ~30), until deep golden and a tester comes out clean. Tent with foil if it browns before the center sets.

6. Cool, then glaze. Cool in the pan 10 min, turn out, and cool fully. Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice into a glaze and drizzle — that's the move that tips it toward dessert.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.