Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A seasonal zucchini layer cake, infused with cinnamon and orange, and iced with a tangy cream cheese frosting. If you’re wondering what to do with all that zucchini from your garden, look no further than this impressive yet effortless dessert recipe.
Hi everyone! I have a lovely layer cake for you today, full of all sorts of goodness!
Particularly, something that many of us with backyard vegetable gardens are struggling to find ways to use up- zucchini!
So far, in the last week, my husband has made zucchini fritters and zucchini oven fries, and for dinner tonight we’re planning a zucchini tart. But the zucchini just. doesn’t. stop! We’ve still got tons on our counter and more growing still!
The good news is, there’s just so much you can do with it. It’s got a really neutral flavor so it works beautifully in both sweet and savory preparations. You’re especially going to love it in this cake because it comes together in a snap and it’s so moist and fragrant with citrus and spice. It’s just perfect for the end of summer when our gardens are still bursting with fresh produce yet we’re looking ahead to the flavors of fall.
Making a big layer cake sometimes seems like a daunting task to me. All the layers, and the frosting, and wanting it to look smooth and perfect like it’s fresh from the case at a fancy bakery. Hello, it’s a freaking weekday people! I for one am embracing the trend of just stacking the layers and letting the sides go bare. Effortless as can be and every bit as delish.
Shredding the zucchini in a food processor is another way to cut down on the prep time- in a major way. My machine made quick work of two small(ish) zucchini- it literally took seconds. I shredded it on the finer side of the grating disc and placed it in a small strainer, over a bowl, and weighted it down to squeeze out some of the water while I prepped the other ingredients.
The orange zest and cinnamon will make your whole house smell just heavenly! And the toasted nuts give a really nice crunch. I hope you’ll give this late summer/early fall easy layer cake a try; it’s sure to be a big hit with your family!
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Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, (about 1-1 1/2 cups shredded)
- 2/3 cup (83.33 g) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (83.33 g) cake flour
- 1/2 cup (56 g) almond meal
- 1/3 cup (39 g) roughly chopped walnuts,, toasted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) plain Greek yogurt, (I used nonfat)
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 tablespoons orange zest, (zest of one orange)
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cream cheese, (1 1/2 blocks)
- 6 tablespoons (88.72 g) unsalted butter,, softened
- 2/3 cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) orange juice, (juice of one orange)
Instructions
To Make the Zucchini Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Mist (2) 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment.
- Trim the tops and bottoms off the zucchini and grate finely. Place in a mesh strainer or colander, over a bowl, and place a heavy pot on top to press some of the water out. Set aside.
- Place the flours, almond meal, walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Place the sugar, Greek yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest in another bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth. Add the zucchini, and then combine with the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely and layer with Cream Cheese Frosting.
To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the sugar, honey, and orange juice and whip on high speed until fluffy.
I love the styling of this cake Allie!!!
Thank you so much Sandy! It’s old from the summer, but seems to be doing really well on Pinterest for some reason. Lol!
Ah Allie this looks beautiiiiful!! It feels as if everyone on the Blogosphere has suddenly started using zucchini?! I am the only one who hasn’t. Nevertheless, I am bribed by anything that is topped with cream cheese. Yummy, it is so nicely decorated as usual!
Aw thank you so much Tash! You’re so right, zucchini is everywhere right now! There’s so much of it we just don’t even know what to do with it all. Cream cheese frosting is a good start though, lol!
Delicious and beautifully decorated!
Thanks Jessica! I just didn’t have it in me that day to get fancy with it, lol!
You’re killing me Allie!
I told myself I was going to refrain from sugar for a few days, but this has me rethinking everything. Seriously, a little cake never killed nobody, right? If I try hard enough, I might be able to trick myself into thinking that the zucchini definitely classifies this cake as a vegetable, and not dessert.
Either way, we know what’s being baked this week! So so so good!
I’m so glad you liked, Graham! And ya this cake is totally a vegetable- it’s got green in it!