This delicious yet simple Zucchini Cake is made moist with fresh garden zucchini and walnuts. The warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice along with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting take it over the top. I love to take 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 and oodles of zucchini. We are zucchini eating fools here. This treat, Zucchini Bread, Crispy Cheesy Zucchini Fritters and Chocolate Zucchini Muffins are just a few of our favorites. This scrumptious cake will help use up that garden zucchini in the best way possible.
How to make this Zucchini Cake
This cake is made in three easy steps. First in a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Then in a separate large bowl stir together the grated zucchini, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Now add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture in several intervals mixing just until combined. Then fold in the chopped walnuts.
Next pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish 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 moist crumbs.
Finally using a mixer beat together the cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light, fluffy and smooth. Then spread on the fully cooled cake. This cake should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Helpful tips for this Zucchini Cake
- This cake is better the second day so ideally bake the cake a day in advance and ice the cake the day you are going to serve it.
- Grate the unpeeled zucchini with the large end of a box grater. It really takes just minutes. It will take you a lot longer to wash and dry your food processor.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature and soften your butter and cream cheese before making the frosting.
- Always load the cake on the middle rack in the center of your preheated oven.
- Check for doneness after 40 minutes and every 5 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.
How to freeze grated zucchini
This time of year many of you are gardening and you may have quite the abundance of zucchini. Did you know that grated zucchini freezes quite well and can be used for future cakes, muffins, breads and even fritters?
Simply 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 is needed for your favorite recipes (hint, hint, hint). I like to do some of with 3 cups and some with 2 cups as this seems to cover 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 simply place in the refrigerator overnight.
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PrintZucchini Cake
This scrumptious and moist zucchini cake is flavored with fresh zucchini, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. It is all topped with an easy four ingredient brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 ounces cream cheese (1 1/2 boxes)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. In a separate large bowl stir together grated zucchini, vegetable oil, eggs 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 prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Do not over-bake; start checking at 40 minutes and every 5 minutes thereafter. Cool completely.
- Using a mixer beat together the cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and vanilla until light, fluffy and smooth. Then spread on the fully cooled cake. This cake needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Notes
- This cake is better the second day so ideally bake the cake a day in advance and ice the cake the day you are going to serve it.
- Grate the unpeeled zucchini with the large end of a box grater. It really takes just minutes. It will take you a lot longer to wash and dry your food processor.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature and soften your butter and cream cheese before making the frosting.
- Always load the cake on the middle rack in the center of your preheated oven.
- Check for doneness after 40 minutes and every 5 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.
Keywords: zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting, zucchini spice cake, best moist zucchini cake recipe
Vikki
Moist delicious cake, love the zucchini flavor!
Toni
Such a delicious zucchini cake! It was so good!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
I need to try this Zucchini Cake immediately, it looks so good!
★★★★★
katerina @ diethood.com
I would love a slice of this cake! It looks incredibly delicious!!
★★★★★
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
This cake is amazing! I LOVE the zucchini flavor!!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
This was such an easy and delicious cake; loved the cream cheese frosting! Delicious!
★★★★★
John
So yummy! I really enjoyed this recipe. I love the cream cheese frosting!
★★★★★
Irina
I always wanted to try to make some sweet dessert with the use of zucchini, and here is my chance! I love your recipe and cannot wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
Lauren k
The best summer cake ever! I just made another one for my mother in law!
★★★★★
Jen
Everyone at my house really loved this! Such an amazing cake!
★★★★★
Wilhelmina
This was a delicious treat! The cream cheese frosting goes so well the zucchini. The tip about freezing grated zucchini is great too, thanks!
★★★★★
Cathy H Mayor
Delicious! Moist and flavorful. The only thing I changed was I added raisins instead of walnuts.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it Cathy!
Charla
Oh yum! I wish I could eat this cake through my laptop screen because it looks so divine and super moist. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
I super love Zucchini and walnuts and having them on one dish is absolutely scrumptious! I am s excited to make this Zucchini Cake!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Maggie! Enjoy!!
Alex | Go Cook Yummy
Thank you for this easy peasy recipe. This looks great, I am excited to try out the recipe!
★★★★★
Maria
Zucchini is such a great ingredient and this is a fantastic use of it! The frosting looks great, too.
★★★★★
Dannii
This cake looks so moist and delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★