This Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting is a simple from-scratch recipe with all the essential elements: a spiced, moist cake with zucchini throughout and fluffy cream cheese frosting.

This entire cake costs about $12.26 to make, which makes twelve servings. That’s just $1.03 per serving. 

Love Zucchini recipes? Do not miss out on trying my Mom’s Zucchini Bread recipe, this Zucchini Quiche, or this Baked Tomatoes Parmesan Pasta.

A slice of the finished Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.

How do I like my veggies? In a cake, of course! This cake is full of zucchini, perfectly spiced, and then topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. The grated zucchini adds moisture to the cake, making it perfectly moist and tender.

I love having a few quick and easy cake recipes in my repertoire. Devil’s food cake is great for year-round enjoyment, as is this white cake. Red velvet cake is perfect for Christmas and Valentine’s day, pumpkin cake is just the dessert for autumn, and carrot cake is excellent during the spring and summer. 

Ingredients and Cost

Per Serving Cost: $1.03

Recipe Cost: $12.26

  • 2 cups finely grated zucchini – $1.30
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar – $0.29
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – $0.34
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil – $0.24
  • 3 large eggs – $0.30
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour – $0.20 
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda – $0.05
  • 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – $0.04
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg – $0.58
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves – $0.46
  • 1 cup walnuts – $1.56
  • 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese – $3.92
  • ½ cup unsalted butter – $0.80
  • 6-8 cups powdered sugar – $2.17

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.

All of the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

Instructions

  1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. And spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
  2. Next, mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients into another bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the oil and eggs before folding in the zucchini and walnuts.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake. 
  4. Make the cream cheese frosting while the cake is cooling. 
  5. Finally, evenly spread the frosting over the cake and sprinkle with walnuts before serving. 

A picture collage of how to make this Zucchini Cake recipe.

Recipe Variations

  •  If you don’t like nuts, then simply leave them out.
  • Depending on the size of your zucchini, you’ll need 5-6 small zucchini or 2-3 medium zucchini to get 2 cups.
  • You can use a box grater or a food processor to grate the zucchini.
  • Chopped pecans work well with this cake, too.
  • You can use reduced fat cream cheese in the cream cheese frosting, but please do not use fat-free cream cheese.

Storage Tips

SERVE: You can keep the cake at room temperature for about two hours before it needs to be refrigerated.

STORE: Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

FREEZE: Wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 3 months.

DEFROST: Defrost at room temperature for 2-3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

An overhead picture of slices of the finished Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cook’s Tools

  • box grater
  • 9×13-inch pan
  • offset spatula
  • mixing bowls
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • liquid measuring cup

Recipe FAQs

How do you grate zucchini?

The easiest way to grate zucchini is to use a box grater. You can also use a food processor.

How many zucchinis are 2 cups grated?

On average, one medium-sized zucchini will produce about 2/3 cups of grated zucchini.

Does zucchini cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, because of the cream cheese frosting, the zucchini cake needs to be covered and refrigerated. Cover the cake with the cake container’s lid or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

More Cake Recipes

A close up picture of Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.
5 from 2 votes

Zucchini Cake WIth Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe Cost $ $12.26
Serving Cost $ $1.03
Prep Time 14 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 54 minutes
12 people
This Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting is a simple from-scratch recipe with all the essential elements: a spiced, moist cake with zucchini throughout and fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Equipment

  • mixing bowls
  • box grater
  • 9×13-inch pan
  • offset spatula
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • liquid measuring cup

Ingredients
 
 

ZUCCHINI CAKE

  • 2 cups finely grated zucchini
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 6-8 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH:

  • chopped walnuts optional

Instructions

PREP OVEN AND PAN:

  • Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and lightly dust it with flour.

MAKE BATTER:

  • 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.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

BAKE AND COOL:

  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack.
  • Cool the cake completely, about 1 hour.

MAKE FROSTING:

  • During that last 10 minutes of the cake cooling, make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add the 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.

FINISH AND SERVE:

  • Spread frosting onto the cake with an offset spatula (you may have some frosting leftover). Garnish with chopped walnuts (optional).
  • Serve the cake immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 856IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg

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An overhead picture of slices of the finished Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.

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6 Comments

  1. Jill love this recipe. Thanks for being creative great baker and cook

    1. Aunt Nancie, I am SO glad you love the recipe! It’s our favorite summertime cake! 🙂

  2. Just the size of zucchini cake I was looking for and google found your website. I had defrosted some frozen grated zucchini and was wondering what to do with it other than chocolate zucchini loaves that I usually make. Made the recipe as written but being a lover of vanilla I couldn’t resist adding a couple tsp. of real vanilla extract. Next time I will have to try vanilla bean paste in it since I do have both. Thank you for a great recipe.

    1. You’re so welcome Sharon! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  3. Maggie Unzueta says:

    I’m drinking coffee right now. I could really use a slice of this zucchini cake… .YUM!

  4. Calleigh - TheForkBite says:

    What a creative idea!! Now you give me an idea what to do with my frozen spiraled zucchinis that were sitting in the fridge for 2 weeks.