Use up some of those summer zucchinis in this moist and tender, warmly spiced zucchini cake with rich cream cheese frosting.
If you planted zucchini this year, you’re undoubtedly swamped with them. Isn’t it incredible that we have delicious cake recipes for this bountiful vegetable? The concept of vegetables in desserts is initially confusing, but we’re adapting.
Think carrot cake, for example. Putting carrots into a cake is interesting, but we whip in some sugar and no questions are asked. It’s just delicious.
Zucchini cake is no different. Garden zucchini doesn’t have much flavor on its own, yet the moist zucchini cake has become a classic for summer baking.
An especially moist, tender cake, spiced with vanilla extract and cinnamon, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting – my only other recommendation would be to serve it with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Note: To keep for year-round zucchini cake, freeze your washed, shredded, and portioned zucchini. When ready to use, simply thaw, press out moisture, and add to your cake batter!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simply delicious – Made with pantry staples and garden-fresh veggies, this easy zucchini cake recipe is simple to make and has a light and sweet crumb. It’s great for dessert, with afternoon coffee, or a special breakfast treat. And while the frosting is still very sweet, the tangy cream cheese gives it the perfect balance.
Moist and tender crumb – The fresh veggies, brown sugar, and oil make for such a deliciously moist cake. It’s just as good and just as moist the next day!
Great way to use extra zucchini – If you’re drowning in garden-fresh zucchini, this is a delightful way to use it up! While you’re at it, bake a few batches of sourdough zucchini bread to freeze for another day!
Ingredients
Oil – Choose a neutral oil, or you should be able to use melted and cooled butter at a 1:1 ratio.
White and brown sugar – The blend of sugars sweetens the cake, and the brown sugar adds more moisture and flavor due to the molasses.
Flour – All-purpose flour keeps the cake crumb tender while maintaining its structure.
Zucchini – Go for small or medium-sized zucchini. Generally, a small zucchini is more tender and sweet, and a large zucchini will have bigger, tougher seeds.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Zucchini Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch × 13-inch pan or line it with parchment paper. While the oven is preheating, shred the zucchini.
Step 3: In a large bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whisk eggs, oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Try not to overmix.
Step 6: Fold in shredded zucchini, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until the middle is set, the sides of the cake are pulling away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 8: Prepare frosting and apply to the cooled cake with a wooden spoon or offset spatula.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: To a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese and butter. Whip until smooth.
Step 2: Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, mixing on low, then increasing to high speed.
Step 3: Whip until silky and fluffy. Fold in chopped pecans (optional).
Step 4: Generously apply the frosting to the cooled cake and enjoy!
Tips
- The zucchini doesn’t need to be squeezed of extra moisture, as that’s already considered in the recipe. That makes this recipe super easy.
- Check if the cake is done right around 40 minutes to reduce the chance of overbaking. Baking time will vary.
- Cool the cake to the touch so the frosting doesn’t slide off when applied. It’s often still barely warm in the center, which is the absolute perfect way to be enjoyed.
- Add chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or shredded coconut to the batter to experiment with flavor and texture.
- You can use two round cake pans with parchment paper rounds for a lovely layered zucchini cake. After baking, turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Frost between layers as well as the top of the cake.
- A little lemon zest and/or some lemon juice in the frosting would add a citrusy flair to your cake.
Recipe FAQs
You don’t have to peel them! Leave the peel on to add color and nutrition. When you grate the zucchini thinly, the peel blends right in
Due to the cream cheese frosting containing ingredients that may spoil at room temperature, I recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days.
Of course! Try this lemon buttercream frosting, or this traditional vanilla buttercream, or use your personal favorite!
Yes, prepare and frost the cake, then store it in the refrigerator. Serve within 1 – 2 days for best results, though it will keep for several more days.
Yes, use up those huge zucchinis. Just scoop those tough seeds out first, because they aren’t very appetizing in a cake. If there appears to be lots of extra water in the shredded zucchini, squeeze it out by adding the zucchini to a muslin towel and twisting it up to squeeze.
Favorite Zucchini Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Easy Zucchini Lasagna
- Zucchini Frittata
- Zucchini Bread
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor or box grater
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 cups grated zucchini
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Zucchini Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch × 13-inch pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Grate the zucchini and set it to the side.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whisk eggs, oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Try not to overmix.
- Fold in shredded zucchini, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until the middle is set and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Prepare frosting and apply to the cooled cake with a wooden spoon or offset spatula.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- To a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese and butter. Whip until smooth.
- Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, mixing on low, then increasing to high speed.
- Whip until silky and fluffy. Fold in chopped pecans (optional).
- Generously apply the frosting to the cooled cake and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this gluten free using a combination of Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour and my own blend of sprouted sorghum flour, potato and tapioca starch. I also reduced the sugar to 2/3 C of each type.
And I added chopped walnuts and pecans.
After doing all those things…it was DELICIOUS!!
Oh, I also cut back the butter by 1/2 and the 10X sugar by 1 cup, and the icing was still terrific.
I mean, if you can make all those changes and the cake is still yummy, it’s a fool-proof cake!!
I think next time the only other thing I would reduce is the salt by 1/2. But that’s because I use salted butter in my icing.
Thank you for another fantastic recipe!!
Thanks for sharing your modifications to the recipe for others. 🙂
so moist and yummy! added a cup of chocolate chips before baking
I eat Carnivore, but my husband surely did love this.
Delicious!
Totally recommended
I made this for my family. It was a HUGE hit.
Loved the simplicity of the recepie and moistness in the cake.
Hi! I’m brand new to the “grind your own grains” family/movement. I came across your article on grain mills when I found this recipe. It looks delicious and was wondering if you had any suggestions for subbing freshly milled flour for the AP.
Thanks so much for being part of my new adventure in becoming healthier.
I sub everything 1-1 with a hard white or hard red wheat. If using a recipe that is leavened with baking powder or baking soda, you can use soft white wheat. Add 1/4 cup additional soft white wheat flour PER cup of flour listed in the recipe!
Very moist thx for the recipe. I added another 1/2 cup of zucchini and 1/4 cup sourdough just for fun turned out perfect
Can I use frozen zucchini? I still have some leftover from last fall
I would try it since she doesn’t drain the zucchini. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi Lisa, which neutral oil do you use in this?
I use avocado oil!