Get the Recipe: Easy Zucchini Spice Cake
Use your extra summer squash to make a zucchini spice cake with cream cheese frosting. This easy cake is soft, moist and perfectly spiced!
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
- 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves, or allspice
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (180 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (160 g) shredded zucchini, patted dry
Frosting
- 1 cup (8 oz or 226 g) block-style cream cheese, softened, but still cool
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Roughly chopped walnuts for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ground cloves. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, sugar and brown sugar until light in color and well combined. Add vegetable oil, applesauce and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined (it’s ok if there are still a couple flour pockets). Add shredded zucchini and stir until evenly dispersed.
- Transfer batter to prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan completely.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt, then mix on medium speed until combined. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake. Garnish with chopped walnuts, slice and serve.
Notes
Zucchini should be shredded, then patted dry with a clean cloth to remove any excess liquid.
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Freeze, then defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature and serving.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 409kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 274mg, Potassium: 173mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 274IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg