Simple Yellow Squash Bread

If you ask me, yellow squash bread is one of the best ways to use up summer squash.

This spiced quick bread is a nice change from the usual zucchini version. Shredded squash keeps the loaf moist while warm cinnamon and nutmeg give it that cozy, familiar taste we all love.

It’s topped with a simple lemon glaze that adds a bright, tangy finish. The citrus cuts through the sweetness and makes each slice feel a bit more special.

It’s an easy recipe that works great for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert when you need something homemade but not too fancy.

What Kind of Yellow Squash Should I Use?

Any variety of yellow squash will work great for this bread, whether you grab yellow crookneck or straightneck squash from the store. The key is to use fresh squash that feels firm to the touch and has smooth, unblemished skin. Smaller to medium-sized squash tend to have fewer seeds and a more tender texture, which makes them ideal for baking. When you’re shredding your squash, there’s no need to peel it first – the skin is thin and will blend right into the batter, adding extra moisture and a bit of color to your finished bread.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Yellow squash: Zucchini works perfectly as a substitute since it has a similar texture and moisture content. You can also mix yellow squash and zucchini together for variety.
• Vegetable oil: You can swap this with canola oil, melted coconut oil, or even melted butter if you prefer. Just keep the same measurement.
• All-purpose flour: For a healthier twist, replace half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Just note that the bread will be slightly denser.
• Sugar: You can reduce the sugar to 1¼ cups if you prefer a less sweet bread, or use coconut sugar for a different flavor profile.
• Ground nutmeg: If you don’t have nutmeg, you can use allspice or just increase the cinnamon slightly. The bread will still taste great.
• Lemon juice for icing: Orange juice works as a nice alternative and gives the icing a different citrus note. You can also use milk for a plain vanilla icing.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making yellow squash bread is not removing excess moisture from the shredded squash, which can lead to a dense, wet loaf – after shredding, place the squash in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding it to the batter.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, so stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep your bread tender instead of tough.

Don’t skip checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center – it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, and remember that quick breads continue cooking a bit after you remove them from the oven.

For the lemon icing, add the lemon juice gradually since you want a thick drizzle consistency, not a thin glaze that runs right off the bread.

What to Serve With Yellow Squash Bread?

Yellow squash bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love slicing it thick and spreading a little butter on top while it’s still warm, which makes the butter melt right into all those cozy spices. It’s also great alongside a fruit salad or some fresh berries for a light brunch, or you can serve it as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Since it’s on the sweeter side with that lemon icing, it pairs nicely with something savory like scrambled eggs or bacon if you’re serving it for breakfast.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your yellow squash bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’ve already added the lemon icing, it’ll still keep just fine on the counter. For longer storage, pop it in the fridge where it’ll stay fresh for up to a week.

Freeze: This bread freezes really well, which makes it great for baking ahead. I like to freeze it without the icing, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil or a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can freeze individual slices too if you want to grab just one at a time for a quick snack.

Thaw: Let the bread thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the fridge if you froze the whole loaf. Once it’s thawed, you can add the lemon icing if you haven’t already. If you froze slices, they’ll thaw in about 30 minutes on the counter, or you can warm them up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3400-3700
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 140-155 g
• Carbohydrates: 490-530 g

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 3 eggs (large, at room temperature)
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil (I prefer Wesson vegetable oil for a light texture)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded squash (squeezed dry to prevent a soggy loaf)

For the lemon glaze:

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for the best acidity)
• lemon zest

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded squash

Heat your oven to 325°F and grease a loaf pan (approximately 9×5 inches) or two smaller loaf pans.

While the oven preheats, prepare your dry ingredients by whisking together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.

Set aside.

Squeeze your shredded squash firmly in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible—this is crucial to prevent a soggy loaf.

I always squeeze it a bit longer than seems necessary because excess moisture can really affect the final texture.

Step 2: Create the Wet Ingredient Base

• 3 eggs
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature eggs until they’re bubbly and slightly lightened in color, about 1-2 minutes.

This aerates the eggs and helps create a lighter crumb structure.

Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla essence to the beaten eggs, then mix the baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg directly into this wet mixture.

Stir vigorously for about 1 minute until everything is well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 2 cups shredded squash

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredient base from Step 2, stirring until just combined and smooth.

Don’t overmix—a few lumps are fine and will actually result in a more tender crumb.

Gently fold in the squeezed-dry squash until it’s evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 4: Bake the Bread

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan(s), smoothing the top gently with a spatula.

Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The bread should be golden brown and a skewer should meet light resistance when inserted.

Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Step 5: Make the Lemon Glaze and Finish

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• lemon zest

While the bread cools, whisk together the icing sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small bowl to create a smooth, drizzle-able glaze.

I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled because it has much brighter acidity and flavor.

Once the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top in a decorative pattern and sprinkle with fresh lemon zest for a beautiful finish and an extra pop of citrus flavor.

Simple Yellow Squash Bread

Delicious Simple Yellow Squash Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 12 slices

Calories 3550 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the bread

• 3 eggs (large, at room temperature)
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil (I prefer Wesson vegetable oil for a light texture)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded squash (squeezed dry to prevent a soggy loaf)

For the lemon glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for the best acidity)
• lemon zest

Instructions

 

• Heat your oven to 325°F and grease a loaf pan (approximately 9x5 inches) or two smaller loaf pans. While the oven preheats, prepare your dry ingredients by whisking together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Squeeze your shredded squash firmly in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible—this is crucial to prevent a soggy loaf. I always squeeze it a bit longer than seems necessary because excess moisture can really affect the final texture.
• In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature eggs until they're bubbly and slightly lightened in color, about 1-2 minutes. This aerates the eggs and helps create a lighter crumb structure. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla essence to the beaten eggs, then mix the baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg directly into this wet mixture. Stir vigorously for about 1 minute until everything is well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredient base from Step 2, stirring until just combined and smooth. Don't overmix—a few lumps are fine and will actually result in a more tender crumb. Gently fold in the squeezed-dry squash until it's evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan(s), smoothing the top gently with a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The bread should be golden brown and a skewer should meet light resistance when inserted. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• While the bread cools, whisk together the icing sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small bowl to create a smooth, drizzle-able glaze. I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled because it has much brighter acidity and flavor. Once the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top in a decorative pattern and sprinkle with fresh lemon zest for a beautiful finish and an extra pop of citrus flavor.