Go Back

Zucchini Cake

Zucchini cake is a tender zucchini sheet cake with warm spices and a moist, carrot-cake-style crumb. It’s topped with thick cream cheese frosting for a sweet summer dessert you can slice into squares.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup zucchini grated and squeezed dry
  • 0.5 cup walnuts optional, chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup butter softened
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the zucchini sheet cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan so the cake releases easily after baking.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together until evenly combined.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  4. Stir in zucchini (grated and squeezed dry) until the batter looks evenly moistened.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no dry streaks remain, and fold in walnuts if using.
  6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and frost
  1. Cool the cake completely for at least 30 minutes so the frosting won’t melt.
  2. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until light and fluffy with a spreadable texture.
  3. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake, then swirl the top for a thick, decorative finish.

Notes

For best moisture, squeeze the grated zucchini very dry before adding so the crumb stays tender without getting gummy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted cake squares up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and frost after thawing. For a dairy-light option, use vegan cream cheese and plant-based butter in the frosting.