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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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 8/1/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/15/21}
Made this cake last week and can’t wait to make it again. It is excellent!
Zucchini cake season is the best, isn’t it Sue?
People are absolutely surprised when I tell them there is zucchini in this cake. Then they think it’s good for them?!
I get the same response. The zucchini really keeps this cake so moist. Thank you for sharing, Kristen.
My daughter made this today and it is delicious! We look forward to sharing it and making it again for sure!!!
I’m so glad you like it, Carrie!
Made this last week and even my grandson who hates zucchini loved it! Will make again.
Baked goods are such a sneaky way to use zucchini. I am glad your grandson enjoyed it.
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!
Peggy – YES! I delighted you enjoyed it so much. The frosting is the best.
How long did you cook it for when doubled?
Where’s the video for this recipe? The one shown is for pumpkin crunch cake.
Peggy – I am sorry there isn’t a video for that recipe.
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?
Sheri, Those would all be great additions.
Super easy and moist!
Thank you for the review, Janice. I hope you have founds lots of delicious ways to use zucchini.
This looks delicious! Can you add more stuff such as apples, nuts or chocolate to this recipe?
Those would all be delicious additions.
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.
HOORAY! I’m so glad the frosting is a hit, Dana.
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
That sounds amazing.