This delicious yet simple Zucchini Cake is made moist with fresh garden zucchini and walnuts. The warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, along with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, take the flavor over the top. I love taking this cake to potlucks and family functions, as it is always a huge hit.
This time of the year, so many garden growers have oodles of zucchini. We are zucchini-eating fools here. This delicious cake is one of our favorite zucchini recipes. If you like this recipe, try zucchini muffins, zucchini bread, and chocolate zucchini cake.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- It is so delicious! Your family and friends will love it. Be ready to share the recipe.
- You can use up all your summer garden zucchini, making your friends and family fat and sassy.
- This tasty cake stays moist for days. There is no dry day-old cake here.
Key Ingredients
- Zucchini: fresh zucchini is the star of the show here.
- Warm spices: like cinnamon and nutmeg
- Walnuts: you can substitute walnuts or pecans
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff, please
- Cream cheese: full-fat
How to make Zucchini Cake
This cake is made in three easy steps. First, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate large bowl, stir together the grated zucchini, eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in several increments, mixing just until combined. Then, fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking pan that has been greased and floured or sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, and vanilla until light, fluffy and smooth. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed. Spread on the fully-cooled cake. Refrigerate the cake because of the cream cheese frosting.
Preparation Tips
- This cake is better on the second day, so ideally, bake it a day in advance and ice it the day you serve it.
- Grate the unpeeled zucchini with the small grate end of a box grater. It takes just minutes. It will take much longer to wash and dry your food processor.
- Check for doneness after 35 minutes and every 3 minutes after that. Insert a toothpick in the center to ensure no wet batter clings to it. This cake is best not over-baked.
Can I Use Grated Zucchini In This Cake?
Many of you are gardening this time of year, and you may have quite an abundance of zucchini. Did you know that grated zucchini freezes quite well and can be used for future cakes, muffins, bread, and even fritters?
Grate the zucchini with a food processor or old-fashioned box grater (this is where that food processor may come in handy), then allocate a certain amount to each quart freezer bag depending on how much you need for your favorite recipes (hint, hint, hint). I like to do some bags with 3 cups and some with 2 cups, as this covers most of my favorite recipes. Label and date the freezer bags.
Double wrap by adding several quart bags to gallon bags. Store in the freezer for up to six months for all your favorite zucchini baking recipes. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight.
How Do I Store This Cake?
Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Or cover the baking dish with two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and store it covered in the fridge.
More Cakes Recipes
Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. In a separate large bowl, stir together the grated zucchini, eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture in several intervals mixing just until combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not over-bake; start checking at 35 minutes and every 3 minutes thereafter. Cool completely.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, and vanilla until light, fluffy and smooth. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and beaters as needed. Spread on the fully-cooled cake.
- This cake should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- Check for doneness after 35 minutes and every 3 minutes or so after that. Insert a toothpick in the center to make sure no wet batter clings to it. This cake is best not over-baked.
- The cake must be fully cooled before icing. This can take up to several hours, so plan accordingly.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ebony
This was my first time making zucchini cake and it turned out great! This recipe is so easy to follow and my family loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ebony! We love this cake too!
Fransic verso
My friend made me try this zucchini cake and it was so delicious. I feel in love with this cake. Thank you for sharing!
Kathy D
This recipe was great. I will make it all summer, as long as my garden keeps producing zucchini. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Kathy!
Kimberlee Kalyer
Your zucchini cake recipe was absolutely delicious and perfect for using up summer squash! I loved how moist and flavorful it was. I will make this again and again!
Michelle
I love this zucchini cake! This was so delicious and I can’t wait to make this recipe again for friends.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! I hope your friends enjoy it too!
Ben
This is a really good cake! The zucchini makes it so moist, and I love the frosting. I’m definitely making it again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Kelvin
Love this soft and moist zucchini cake. It baked up perfectly. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Kelvin!
Frankie
Lovely cake, I made it for my girlfriend and she loved it! She said that it was the best zucchini cake she ever had.
Tameka
This is the most delicious zucchini cake I have ever eaten. I am saving this recipe. My extended family is going to love this!
Roberta Lowen
This is a delicious cake. The zucchini makes it so moist and cinnamon cream cheese frosting is superb! I think this is my new birthday cake.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Roberta!
Sophie
This zucchini cake was amazing with fresh zucchini, walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting was the perfect combination of flavors. This is a new peronsal favorite and one I will make it frequently.
Michelle H
Oh my, this was so yummy! I hope my garden does well this year because I want to make this all summer long. I am holding on to this recipe.
Emily H
I love how moist zucchini can make a cake. This was so moist and tasty. I loved every bite. Thanks for the great recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Emily!
Julie B
I am giving this recipe 5 stars because I made it for my mother’s birthday, and everyone asked for the recipe, it was so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
So happy to hear that everyone liked it!
Ramili H
I love finding delicious ways to use up zucchini from the garden. This recipe is divine. Easily a new family favorite.
Cathy B
Delicious cake. It baked up perfectly and it was so moist. We loved the cinnamon cream cheese frosting! Hats off to a great cake recipe.
Beth Pierce
I am so happy that you liked it, Cathy!