This moist zucchini cake is easy to make from scratch! The spices and texture are like zucchini bread, and the easy cream cheese frosting makes this a delicious and easy dessert!
Extra zucchini? Make Zucchini Casserole, Zucchini Lasagna, and more with our Top 10 Zucchini Recipes.
Easy & Moist Zucchini Cake
When you think of everything you can make into cake (like lemon, orange, or berries) — zucchini seems a bit of an odd cake ingredient.
But when you have a bumper crop of zucchini (like any gardener who plants zucchini is guaranteed to end up with!) — you start getting creative.
And zucchini is an excellent addition to baking everything from muffins to pancakes, because it adds moisture and texture without having an overpowering flavor.
Plus, it’s a serving of vegetables in your dessert! (Okay, maybe not a full serving, but more than none.)
What’s In Zucchini Cake
There are diverse recipes with diverse ingredients but our favorite cinnamon and spice zucchini cake also features walnuts! To make zucchini cake, you’ll need:
- finely grated zucchini
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- oil
- eggs
- flour
- baking soda
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- cloves
- walnuts (optional)
And for the easy cream cheese frosting, you’ll just need cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
How to Make Zucchini Cake from Scratch
Making zucchini cake from scratch is easy — even with homemade frosting!
- Stir together the sugar, vanilla, oil, and eggs.
- In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir.
- Stir in zucchini (and nuts if you like that).
- Pour into a greased and floured cake pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, beat the cream cheese and butter for the frosting.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake — and enjoy!
More delicious zucchini dessert recipes:
- Banana Zucchini Cookies
- Family Favorite Zucchini Bread
- Zucchini Blueberry Muffins (with Whole Wheat!)
- Whole Wheat Zucchini Pancakes
Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini finely grated
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup walnuts chopped, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 6-8 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Spray 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and lightly dust with flour
- Grate zucchini, set aside
- In a large bowl, stir together sugar, vanilla extract, oil and eggs
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until smooth
- Stir in zucchini and nuts if using
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
- Remove from oven to cooling rack
- Cool completely
Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl add cream cheese, and beat until smooth
- Add in butter, and beat until smooth and creamy
- Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing in between each addition
- Beat until smooth
- Beat in vanilla extract until smooth
- Spread frosting onto cake with an offset spatula (you may have some frosting leftover)
- Serve immediately or store in airtight container in refrigerator
Please pin this recipe to save it for later (and share with fellow zucchini gardeners!)
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