Zucchini cake is one of many ideal desserts for when you have an abundance of zucchini from the garden and need a creative way to use it up! While zucchini boats, fries, and lasagna are delicious, nothing compares to a fluffy, lightly-spiced zucchini cake to share with friends and family.
This easy zucchini cake recipe includes a soft and tasty cream cheese frosting, perfect for adding a pop of sweetness to your cake – perfect for parties, showers, or just a late-summer afternoon snack.
Learn how this surprising ingredient can create delicious summer treats and recipes below!
Ingredients for Zucchini Cake
You’ll need classic baking ingredients in addition to your fresh zucchini, with optional mix-ins for your choosing. Here’s what you’ll need to prepare and gather from your kitchen before you get baking:
- Flour: Creates a tender, delicate cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: The combination ensures a fluffy cake, helping the batter rise as it bakes.
- Table salt: Balances the flavors without overpowering the sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice: These spices add complexity to the cake’s flavor.
- Eggs: Three eggs are required to bind the batter and provide structure.
- Vegetable oil: Makes the batter easy to mix by hand and keeps the cake moist.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: Both types of sugar offer a well-rounded sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Elevates all the other flavors in the cake.
- Finely grated zucchini: Use the small holes of a box grater to ensure the zucchini blends evenly into the batter.
- Chopped pecans or golden raisins: Optional mix-ins that are highly recommended.
- Cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar: For the frosting.
How to Make Zucchini Cake
Zucchini cake is simple and straightforward to make. Let’s get started with the ingredients:
Cake:
- Baking spray with flour
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. table salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups finely grated zucchini (from 2-3 medium)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or golden raisins (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (2 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. table salt
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Baking Steps:
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Mix Wet Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the shredded zucchini.
- Combine Batters: Mix the flour mixture into the wet mixture until evenly combined, but do not overmix. If adding in pecans or raisins, stir these in now.
- Add to Pan: Pour the batter into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan. Alternatively, grease the pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Bake the Cake: Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the center springs back lightly when touched.
- Let the cake cool completely about 2-3 hours.
Frosting Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and light, about 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Spread frosting onto cooled cake. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.
How to Store Zucchini Cake
If not serving immediately, keep the zucchini cake covered and store it in the refrigerator for maximum freshness. Leftovers will last up to five days in the fridge due to the cream cheese frosting.
Baking in a Bundt Pan
If you’d like to bake your cake in a bundt pan, follow these slight differences:
Prepare the batter as directed through step 3, and bake at 350°F for 48-52 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
To make the frosting, beat 4 oz. softened cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. softened butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add 1-2 Tbsp. milk or half-and-half until the icing is thick but pourable. Pour over the cake in a thick layer over a drying rack and plate to catch the icing that will drip off.
Freezing Zucchini Cake
You can freeze zucchini cake with or without the frosting to make it last longer. For the best results, freeze the cake without frosting and add it after thawing. Thaw the cake overnight in the fridge and frost just before serving.
Tips for Great Zucchini Cake
This cake is beginner-friendly, yet even experienced bakers will find these tips useful:
- Grate Well: Use the small holes on your box grater to shred the zucchini for better blending.
- Cool Completely: Ensure the cake is fully cooled before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Warm Ingredients: Use softened cream cheese and butter for a smoother cream cheese frosting. It’s always best to use ingredients at room temperature.
This is a great recipe whether you are a beginner baker or have had some experience in the kitchen. Using your fresh vegetables for recipes like this on a nice summer day can’t be beat. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your cake!
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