Easy Zucchini Cake Recipe

Anyone who’s been around here for a while knows how fussy my kids are when I bring them a table of veggies. Well, the table has changed since I whipped up the zucchini bread. And now, allow me to introduce my latest veggie dessert to the collection – a warm, moist zucchini cake. Whip this up, and your kiddos (or you!) will jump with joy!

Why My Fam All Love This Zucchini Dessert

A star on your table: Don’t let its appearance fool you! Behind that humble look lies a hidden gem that will spoil your taste buds at the first bite. The brown butter cream cheese frosting greets you with its creamy, aromatic goodness, leading you to an incredibly moist, cinnamon-kissed cake. Isn’t it perfect for a treat on a cool day?

Easy to make: Just like carrot cake, this zucchini cake doesn’t require lots of ingredients or fancy garnishing, so even a beginner can whip it up without any fuss. The best part? The batter can fold up in just around 5 minutes, saving you a lot of time and hassle.

Feed a crowd: The beauty of a sheet cake? Sharing, of course! It’s a no-brainer to slice the sheet into small pieces and feed a crowd. You can also easily bring it to a picnic, potluck, or get-together where a crowd-pleaser is much needed.

10 Steps To Make Zucchini Cake

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for the cake:

• Flour: We’ll use all-purpose flour that you can find at any grocery store.
• Zucchini: Our MVP! Depending on their size, choose about 1 to 2 firm zucchini with shiny, vibrant green skin. We will need about 1 ¾ cups of shredded goodness here.
• Applesauce: This sauce, along with zucchini, will load your cake with tons of moisture. I prefer the unsweetened sauce so I relish the pure flavor of the cake. However, if you’d love some flavor twists, swap it for canned crushed pineapple or mashed banana.
• Sugar: I swear by a mix of granulated and brown sugar for extra moisture and that irresistible caramel hint.
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg for the win! This combo will add a pleasantly warm touch to your cake. 
• Leavening agents: Baking soda and baking powder work together to lift your cake nicely.
• Others: Eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and salt.

Instructions

Step 1

As always, preheat your oven to 350°F or 177°C. Grab a big 13×9-inch pan and grease it with oil.

Pro tip: If you use non-stick spray, remember to choose the one that comes with flour.

Whip up the cake

Step 2

Whisk together the dry stuff in a large bowl, including all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. You can use a whisk, a wooden spoon, or a spatula to stir them until blended. Then, set the bowl aside.

Step 3

It’s time for the wet ingredients to join the party! Grab another mixing bowl and mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, and pure vanilla extract together. 

Slowly add the wet stuff into the bowl of dry ingredients (step 2) and stir them until incorporated. Then, toss in the shredded zucchini and continue mixing until well combined.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the greased pan, ensuring that it is spread evenly to reach all the corners. I usually tap the pan on the counter gently to smooth out the batter and any trapped air pockets. 

Bake it for 45 to 50 minutes. I must say that the baking time pretty much depends on how many ingredients you throw in and how moist you like it to be. So, don’t just set it and forget it!

After about 30 minutes, drape aluminum foil over the cake to ensure even doneness. Poke a toothpick into the center to check if it’s ready. The cake is good to go if the toothpick is clean or with only a few moist crumbs.

Pro tip: If it turns brown too quickly before the 30-minute mark, dial the oven down to 325°F after 20 minutes. 

Step 5

Pop it out of the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Brown the butter

Step 6

Grab a heatproof bowl and put it aside for the melted butter later.

Cut 4 sticks of unsalted butter, which will give us about ¼ cup. Put them in a saucepan or a light-colored skillet, as this helps you see the butter browning better.

Turn on the stove and cook it on medium heat. Stir the butter constantly to ensure even melting and prevent burning. 

Step 7

Continue whisking until the butter completely melts. Then, it will start foaming. At this point, the key is to keep a watchful eye because it can go from brown to burnt faster than you can say, OMG!

After 5 to 7 minutes of simmering, the butter will brown with amber specks formed at the skillet’s bottom, wafting an irresistible nutty aroma. 

Step 8

Keep checking the color! Once you see it transform from amber to golden and caramel-brown, that’s a cue to take the butter off the heat.

Turn off the stove, remove the skillet, and immediately pour the butter into the prepared bowl. Scrape up any brown specks from the bottom of the skillet; you don’t want to miss those tasty bits!

Let it rest for around 10 minutes before giving it a chilling session in the fridge to cool completely and set.

Make the frosting

Step 9

After the brown butter solidifies, toss it into a large mixing bowl and beat it on high using an electric stand or handheld mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment.

Once the butter turns smooth and creamy, fold in 8 ounces of cream cheese until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the bowl while mixing.

Step 10

Then, toss in confectioners’ sugar, salt, and pure vanilla extract and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the mixture for another 2 minutes. Now, you have a buttery, creamy frosting ready to decorate.

Dress up the cooled zucchini cake with a generous, even layer of brown butter cream cheese frosting. Slice the sheet cake, and you can now enjoy a flavor party in your mouth!

Want to bake another incredibly moist cake? You’ll find the same delightful moisture in my banana cake and pumpkin spice cake recipes, too!

Notes

Tips for Prepping the Zucchini

While you can always skip the hassle with a food processor, I swear by my grater to prep the zucchini. The shredding blade of the food processor might be too powerful and shred my zukes too fine. Talk about the luxury of crushing a whole bit of zucchini in my mouth! 

Btw, don’t peel the zucchini! The vibrant peel is tasty and will add a pop of color to the cake. Draining the shredded zukes is also not recommended; we need that extra moisture, my friends. Don’t grate the zucchini ahead of time to keep its freshness.

Zucchini Goodness in Other Forms

With the same ingredients, you can bake this cake in other fun ways:

Layer cake: Pour the cake batter into three 8” or 9” round pans and bake for 26 to 32 minutes. Remember to line them with parchment paper and whip up more frosting to cover the entire cake.

Bundt cake: We have enough batter to fill a 10-cup Bundt pan or even larger. But you will need to increase the baking time to around 55 to 70 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, you can loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil to ensure even baking.

Cupcakes: This recipe can yield enough cupcakes to feed a whole party, I must say. If you fill each liner to ⅔, you’ll get 36 cupcakes in the end. These little guys only need around 19 to 21 minutes in the oven, though.

A Flavor Twist

A little crunch will create a nice contrast with the moist cake, right? Toss some walnuts, almonds, or pecans into the batter and sprinkle some chopped nuts on the frosting, and you’re good to go! What if you’re into a fancier treat? Add chocolate chips to the batter, and you’re in for a much more luscious mouthfeel.

FAQs

What Can I Use Instead Of Vegetable Oil?

You’re spoiled with options here. Canola, avocado, or refined coconut oil works well instead of vegetable oil. You won’t want to swap it for melted butter, though; the cake will become rubbery and taste dry.

How To Store This Cake?

You can keep the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezing can retain its taste for a couple of months, but I recommend freezing the frosting and the cake separately.

Good luck!

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