Spiced Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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This Zucchini Spice Cake is an easy sheet cake recipe packed with fresh zucchini and flavored with late summer, early fall spices. Moist and tender, and topped with cream cheese frosting, it's a cake with deep roots and delicious flavor.
Why You'll Love This Cake
When you sink a fork into this moist but light cake, and its rich, creamy frosting, it will become a ritual at your house too. What to know about this zucchini cake:
- Soft, tender crumb with cozy spice flavor
- Perfect for using up garden zucchini
- Cream cheese frosting that's creamy, tangy, and rich
- Freezes beautifully for later
The Story Behind the Cake
Every late summer, I found myself in my grandmother's kitchen, where garden zucchini and other late-season vegetables were always in abundance - as was her patience.
She let me experiment with wild ideas, many of which produced "cakes" no one should have eaten. But she always tasted them… and somehow found something to praise. Sweet, sweet grandmothers.
For some reason, I was drawn to making zucchini cake, usually without a recipe - just curiosity. From those early "mistakes," I learned baking techniques, which spices work well together, and the patience to try again.
Eventually, my grandmother guided me toward recipes people would actually enjoy. She was a fantastic cook, feeding family, neighbors, and friends around her table each night.
Much like my favorite classic zucchini bread recipe, or this single loaf zucchini bread recipe, this spice cake is a treat we make every year. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Key Ingredients
- Zucchini - Fresh, grated, and unpeeled for extra color, texture, and nutrition.
- Spices - Cinnamon and nutmeg add a warm, cozy flavor that pairs perfectly with zucchini.
- Oil - Keeps the cake moist and tender without competing with the spice flavor.
- Eggs - Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Sugar - Balances the mild zucchini with just the right sweetness.
- Flour - All-purpose flour creates a soft, sturdy crumb.
- Cream Cheese Frosting - Tangy, creamy, and the ideal topping for this spice cake.
How to Make Spiced Zucchini Cake
This is an incredibly easy sheet cake to make. It can be frosted with a cream cheese frosting, as we've done here, or left without. Although it's rather incredible with a thick layer of this creamy icing.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. Grate the zucchini and squeeze excess moisture by ringing it in a double layer of paper towels, and then set aside.
Step 1: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt; set aside.
Step 2: With a mixer, beat eggs until frothy, then beat in sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla. Fold the flour mixture into the eggs, followed by grated zucchini and chopped nuts, and transfer the batter into the prepared 9x13 baking pan.
Step 3: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting the cake.
Step 4: Let the cake cool completely, then spread cream cheese frosting over the cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.
How Long Can I Store Spiced Zucchini Cake?
Although zucchini bread can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days, I refrigerate the Spiced Zucchini Cake for up to a week.
Recipe FAQs
No, the skin softens during baking and adds color and nutrients. Just wash, trim, and grate.
Yes. Bake, cool, and wrap the unfrosted cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Store at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Frost before serving.
Yes, but for the best texture, freeze unfrosted. If freezing frosted cake, freeze slices on a tray first, then wrap individually.
More Zucchini Recipes You'll Love
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- A Favorite Fresh Zucchini Bread Recipe
- Healthy Morning Zucchini Bread
- Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Healthy Zucchini Spice Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Cake Recipes
- Irish Apple Crumble Cake
- Mini Chocolate Cake for Two (Lava-Style Center)
- 12 Cakes to Bake This Year (One for Every Month)
- Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake Recipe
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Spiced Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini about 3 medium, squeezed
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup butter softened
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13 baking pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt; set aside.
- With a mixer, beat the eggs until frothy; about 2 to 3 minutes. Then beat in the sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture followed by the zucchini and chopped nuts.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Then add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. For the best flavor, frost the cake just before serving.
Video
Notes
- Zucchini: You will need 2 cups of shredded zucchini, which will equal about 3 medium-sized zucchini. A medium zucchini measures about 6 to 7 inches in length. To prepare, shred the zucchini and lay it on top of several layers of paper towels. Gather into a bundle and squeeze out any excess moisture.
- Freezing: Wrap unfrosted cake in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Variations: Add 1 cup chopped pecans instead of walnuts or swap spices for pumpkin pie spice for a stronger autumn flavor.
- Frosting Storage: Refrigerate frosted cake in an airtight container up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
It’s a great recipe, I added raisins to my cake. It was delicious!
Raisins are perfect in this cake! I'm thrilled you enjoyed-- thank you for trying the recipe!
Can you freeze it after frosting
Hi Leonie! Yes, you can freeze the frosted cake. Place the frosted cake (or individual portions) on a parchment lined baking tray. Then freeze until the frosting is firm (1-2 hours). Then wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
Can butter be used instead of oil?
Hi Sharon! Yes, you can substitute butter for the oil. Use a 1:1 ratio.
This was a delicious recipe. Exactly what I was looking for with an abundance of zucchini in our garden. I did not make any changes and love it as written. Thank you so very much for sharing.
Hi Ellen! Thank you so much for trying the zucchini cake. I too am always looking for ways to use an abundance of zucchini! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely delicious and moist. I used Bob's 1 to 1 Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour and it worked perfectly with this recipe. Thank you!
I'm SO happy you enjoyed the Zucchini Cake! Thank you for trying it and for letting me know that the gluten-free flour worked well!
Can you state how many grams you are using in a medium zucchini please? Thx
That's a great question! I like to use two 6.5 to 7-inch zucchinis (which are considered "medium" sized). As far as weight is concerned, I've been using a 9-ounce weight for 2 cups of shredded zucchini.
This is such a treat!