I know vegetables in cake can raise some eyebrows, but keep an open mind. You’ve heard of carrot cake, right? Zucchini is loaded with moisture, and adds a ton of volume without much flavor at all. Think of it as applesauce or banana, but with less flavor. It acts as a wet ingredient, and pairs wonderfully with everything from cinnamon and nutmeg to chocolate and citrus. I love baking with zucchini, so it’s no surprise I’ve amassed quite a lineup of favorite zucchini recipes over the years. (See this incredibly tasty peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread as further proof!) Today I’m sharing a simple sheet cake recipe with plenty of spice flavor, notes of brown sugar, and kisses of sweet vanilla. It’s simple, yet impressive. Taste testers (kids and adults!) couldn’t get enough. We all LOVED this cake.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Cake, Too:
Great for beginners—no complicated decorating or assembly required Batter comes together in 5 minutes Extra moist and flavorful Uses up a bountiful summer vegetable Sheet cakes are easy to slice, serve, and transport Brown butter cream cheese frosting… need I say more?
Sheet Cakes Rule All
Sheet cakes are renowned for being easier than layer cakes—no leveling off cake layers, no fancy decorating tools, no assembly whatsoever. Slicing and serving is a breeze, and you’ll appreciate that this zucchini cake can feed a crowd, but is still completely manageable to make. It’s one of the easiest desserts to transport, too! Some popular sheet cakes include banana cake, apple cake, spice cake, and pumpkin cake. Favorite Pan: I really like to bake quarter sheet cakes in a glass 9×13-inch pan or this metal pan that comes with a lid. The lid is super convenient for storing & transporting.
Key Ingredients You Need
For today’s cake, grab some of the same ingredients you’d use for zucchini bread. The cake is actually a dairy-free recipe if you skip the frosting. (And you can keep it dairy free by adding a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top for garnish.) Grab these ingredients:
Success Tip: Shredding Zucchini
The cake batter comes together in just 5 minutes with simple kitchen tools including a couple bowls, a whisk, and a spatula. You also need a grater to shred the zucchini. If you’re looking for recommendations, I own and love this box grater because it’s easy to use, grates quickly, and has held up well with regular use. It’s what I use when making zucchini fritters and chocolate zucchini bread, too.
How much zucchini do I need? Zucchini can vary greatly in size, but 1-2 medium zucchinis are plenty for this recipe. You need 1 and 3/4 cups shredded, which is about 210g. Pro Tip: Shred extra so you can make a batch of zucchini cookies. Or savory zucchini biscuits for dinner!
Here’s How to Make Zucchini Cake
Whisk together the dry ingredients, whisk together the wet ingredients, combine the two, and then fold in the zucchini. That’s it… the cake batter is done. What a complicated recipe! 😉
Try Zucchini Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Aka THE BEST FROSTING TO EVER HIT YOUR LIPS. Have you ever browned butter to make cream cheese frosting before? Because once you do, you’ll never go back. You have all of the tangy creaminess from cream cheese frosting, and the nutty, caramelized flavor from brown butter on top of it. I don’t overload the frosting with sugar, either—just enough to bulk it up without masking the brown butter flavor. After you brown the butter on the stove, refrigerate it until it’s cool and solidified. (You can do this as the cake bakes or cools.) Then cream it with the cream cheese to make the base of the frosting. It’s pretty easy and I have an entire How to Brown Butter tutorial if you need some extra help. Look at all of those brown butter flecks. F-L-A-V-O-R. There’s no assembly required, which is my favorite part about serving one-layer cakes. Here are all of my single-layer cakes if you’re in the mood to browse more! Here are some other ways you can use this zucchini cake batter:
Other Cake Sizes
Bundt Cake: This cake batter will fit into a greased 10-cup or larger Bundt pan. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 55–70 minutes. The baking time varies depending on your oven; keep your eye on the cake after 55 minutes. Feel free to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top. Layer Cake: Grease three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. Divide batter between the three round cake pans. Bake for around 26–32 minutes, depending on which size pan you used. Use the brown butter cream cheese frosting recipe/ratios from this banana layer cake so you have enough. Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 19–21 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.
