Soft zucchini cake frosted with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting is the best way to eat zucchini this summer!
If you have a garden, the odds are good that you’ve had too much zucchini on hand at one time or another. Overzealous gardening friends and neighbors have been known to leave bags of this prolific vegetable on our doorstep in the past as well.
There’s a joke each year that you should leave your car unlocked or you might find a dozen zucchini on the passenger seat. No place is safe at the height of zucchini season.
That said, zucchini is a versatile vegetable that can up the nutritional status of lots of tasty sweet recipes from quick breads to cakes.
This zucchini cake recipe with its creamy sweet frosting has converted my zucchini haters into fans at long last.
To be precise, the formerly anti-zucchini members of my household are zucchini fans now only when it is baked into this cake, Classic Easy Zucchini Bread, or Peanut Butter Swirled Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
Zucchini Cake Recipe
For most zucchini-based cakes, muffins, and quick bread recipes, you’ll need to shred zucchini. This can be done by hand with a cheese grater or you can use a food processor with the grating blade attached.
Grated zucchini can be frozen in batches, but make sure you drain the thawed zucchini well when you use it. Otherwise, it will add too much liquid to the recipe.
This recipe makes an 8×8 cake, but I usually double it to fit a 9×13 pan. Believe it or not, the cake disappears surprisingly fast. The cream cheese frosting complements the cake so well, I often find myself going back for just one more sliver whenever I make this.
Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the zucchini, sugar, oil and eggs. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Spread the batter into the greased baking pan. Bake at 350 F. for 28-32 minutes. Cool completely.
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread onto cool cake.
End of Summer Baking Recipes
Baking cakes, muffins, and quick breads can be a fun way to use up all the fresh, in-season produce during the summer. I often double the recipes in order to freeze extra to enjoy later.
Classic Easy Zucchini Bread is a long-time favorite and this Peanut Butter Swirled Chocolate Zucchini Bread is a sure bet for convincing any skeptics that zucchini is delicious.
Garden Chive Rolls make the most of an abundance of fresh herbs. Harvest Squash Bread makes an amazing and hearty sandwich, it’s also great toasted with butter.
Lemon Berry Muffins are popular all year round, since you can make them with fresh or frozen berries. Rhubarb Streusel Muffins are another great option for the freezer.
Pineapple Zucchini Bread and Lemon Zucchini Bread are a couple more on my list to try.
Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini shredded
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting Ingredients
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the zucchini, sugar, oil and eggs. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Spread the batter into the greased baking pan. Bake at 350 F. for 28-32 minutes. Cool completely.
Frosting Directions
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the milk, vanilla and powdered sugar. Spread onto cool cake.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 8/1/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/15/21}
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
I love the cream cheese frosting on this cake- especially paired with the zucchini 🙂
Chibi says
Thank you for this excellent recipe. I just baked this cake, and it is fluffy, light, and delicious just like the picture suggests. Happy Summer!
Tara says
Such an amazing recipe!!!! Easy and delicious! Family said it was the best cake they’ve ever had!
Melissa says
Can I use frozen shredded zucchini for this recipe..
Mallory says
Yes. Let it thaw and drain in a strainer, but don’t squeeze out the juice.
Caela Slaathaug says
I just made this. Does it need to be refrigerated with the cream cheese frosting?
Mallory says
Yes, it should probably be refrigerated
Theresa says
This was a great recipe to use up a bit of zucchini. Lots of great flavor, cream cheese frosting was perfect on this cake. Makes a small enough cake for the 2 of us, or enough to share for 4 people. It’s a keeper recipe!
Theresa says
Great recipe to use up some zucchini! Easy to make, tastes great, and perfect for 2 people, or to share with 4. The cream cheese frosting is perfect on this cake. This recipe is a keeper for late summer when everyone has too much zucchini.
Sherrie says
Love the cream cheese frosting! I already had made zucchini bread from another site’s recipe and I just needed the cream cheese frosting. So happy with this. I don’t think I’ve ever had a frosting come out so well. I’m going to try your zucchini cake recipe next time because I only used one egg from the recipe I followed and it didn’t rise so well.
Marie Nicole Harrison says
Do you need to squeeze water from zucchini?
Mallory says
Not if you use fresh zucchini.
Ashley says
Can you bake these as cupcakes? If so how long?
Thanks!
Marilyn says
Can this be made into a 9×13
Mallory says
You will need to double it and maybe increase the baking. Never tried it, but good luck!
Sherry says
I will be trying your recipe for sure. It looks so good and I like the frosting.
Dana says
Delicious. The frosting is my new go to for a light cream cheese frosting. I added some extra vanilla and some salt to taste. My husband is SUPER picky. He says the frosting is delicious. And thats saying a lot from him. Will definitely make again and again.
Mary says
HOORAY! I’m so glad the frosting is a hit, Dana.
B burger says
I also.put thus cream cheese icing on banana bread and pumpkin bread. I have been making this for many years , and it’s always received with lots of likeskoo
Mary says
That sounds amazing.
Ahma Loves to Bake says
This looks delicious! Can you add more stuff such as apples, nuts or chocolate to this recipe?
Mary says
Those would all be delicious additions.
Janice Bushue says
Super easy and moist!
Mary says
Thank you for the review, Janice. I hope you have founds lots of delicious ways to use zucchini.
Sheri says
Love it!! I’ve made it twice in 2 weeks now for different things. Added walnuts to this one.
Thought about maybe adding crushed pineapple, but I think the zucchini would need to be squeezed and probably the pineapple too?? Thoughts?
Mary says
Sheri, Those would all be great additions.
Peggy S. says
Where’s the video for this recipe? The one shown is for pumpkin crunch cake.
Mary says
Peggy – I am sorry there isn’t a video for that recipe.
Peggy S. says
I made this recipe today, after spotting it on a friend’s timeline on Facebook. It is EXCELLENT! Great flavor and texture, and the frosting is so yum. I doubled the recipe to use in a 13″x9″ pan. Make this!
Mary says
Peggy – YES! I delighted you enjoyed it so much. The frosting is the best.
Betty says
How long did you cook it for when doubled?
Sue says
Made this last week and even my grandson who hates zucchini loved it! Will make again.
Mary says
Baked goods are such a sneaky way to use zucchini. I am glad your grandson enjoyed it.
Carrie says
My daughter made this today and it is delicious! We look forward to sharing it and making it again for sure!!!
Mary says
I’m so glad you like it, Carrie!
Kristen says
People are absolutely surprised when I tell them there is zucchini in this cake. Then they think it’s good for them?!
Mary says
I get the same response. The zucchini really keeps this cake so moist. Thank you for sharing, Kristen.
Sue says
Made this cake last week and can’t wait to make it again. It is excellent!
Mary says
Zucchini cake season is the best, isn’t it Sue?
Kim says
It was a hit with my family, very moist and yummy. Great cream cheese frosting recipe.
Mary says
Horray! I love when the whole family gives the thumbs up!
Rachael says
These are the best!
Sheri Newell says
Sooo good!! Love this recipe. And the 8×8 is perfect for my husband and i. Get a nice dessert without overdoing (overeating) it. ? Everyone loves it!
Mary says
I’m so glad that everyone’s been loving the zucchini cake, Sheri. Happy baking!
Sarah says
I made this today with a zucchini from my garden and gluten free flour (my daughter has celiac) and it turned out delicious, with a soft and fluffy crumb. We all wanted to lick the beaters for every last morsel of frosting, too. Yum!
Mary says
It sounds like the zucchini cake turned out well, Sarah! I’m so glad you and your daughter loved it. Enjoy, and happy baking!
dawn says
Made mine today, so good??
Mary says
Glad to hear that you’re loving the cake, Dawn. Happy baking!
Anne says
This recipe is excellent – Little effort and big rewards. I did add pistachios to the cake and orange zest to the delicious cream cheese frosting. I like the 8 inch size..
Mary says
I never would’ve thought of the pistachios, Anne. I do like the orange and zucchini combination though, I’ve done something like that in the past too. I’m glad the cake was a hit!
Marcella says
Has anyone tried to make this in two 9” rounds? If so, did you double recipe amd how long to bake? Ty!
Mary says
Hi, Marcella. If you convert this recipe to round pans, one 8×8 pan will fill one 9 inch round pan, so you’ll want to double the recipe. As for baking times, I couldn’t say; while I’d imagine the times will still be close, I would recommend keeping an eye on the pans.
Serina says
Mine did not turn out fluffy at all. Made in 8×8 pan and the cake is barely an inch tall. Not sure what I did wrong.
My baking soda and baking powder are not expired. I don’t feel that I over mixed the batter.
Any suggestions?
I have not tried it yet as it’s still cooling. The cream cheese frosting is delicious and is waiting to be placed on top of the cake. Not sure I should waste the frosting on such a flat cake!
Mary says
This is a fairly moist and not super tall cake, but it should’ve risen a bit more than that. Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong. I’m curious how it was when you sliced it, Serina. Hopefully it was still delicious!