I just made a Zucchini Sweets spice sheet cake so tender and moist with velvety cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts that you’ll keep scrolling until you get the recipe.
I’m obsessed with this zucchini spice cake because it actually tastes like fall without trying too hard. The shredded zucchini keeps every bite unbelievably moist and the ground cinnamon hits just right, not sickly sweet.
I love how the cream cheese frosting is tangy and velvety, and the chopped walnuts add that crunch that stops you mid-bite. It’s messy, I spill crumbs on my shirt, and I’m fine with that.
This is not fancy dessert talk. It’s simple zucchini sweets that feel honest, a Zucchini Recipes Cake I’ll make all season long.
Bring it on, fall. More please, always.
Seriously.
Ingredients
- Flour: the cake’s backbone, gives structure so it holds all that zucchini moisture.
- Baking soda: lifts the cake, makes it light and not overly dense.
- Baking powder: adds extra lift, helps the crumb feel tender.
- Salt: balances sweetness and sharpens the spices a bit.
- Basically cinnamon: warm, cozy spice everyone recognizes and loves.
- Nutmeg: adds a woodsy, slightly sweet warmth to each bite.
- Ginger: a tiny zing that keeps things from tasting flat.
- Cloves: intense little hits of warmth, use sparingly.
- Granulated sugar: sweetens and helps the cake brown nicely.
- Brown sugar: adds molasses notes and a chewier texture.
- Vegetable oil: keeps the cake moist and forgiving on day two.
- Eggs: they bind everything and give the cake lift.
- Vanilla extract: gives a soft, sweet background perfume.
- Basically zucchini: adds moisture and sneaky veggie goodness.
- Plus chopped nuts: crunch and a toasty contrast, optional but nice.
- Cream cheese: tangy, silky frosting base that feels indulgent.
- Butter: adds richness and makes the frosting spreadable.
- Powdered sugar: sweetens and thickens the frosting evenly.
- Plus frosting vanilla: rounds out the icing with sweet depth.
- Pinch of frosting salt: it cuts sweetness and makes flavors pop.
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis), squeezed lightly if very wet
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting
- Pinch of salt for the frosting
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment, set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves until evenly mixed.
3. In another big bowl beat 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1 cup vegetable oil until smooth; add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, do not overmix.
5. Fold in 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium, squeezed lightly if very wet) and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using. The batter will be thick and moist.
6. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt.
8. For the frosting beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
9. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy, beating until you get a smooth, spreadable frosting. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt if needed.
10. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake, sprinkle extra chopped walnuts or pecans on top if desired, slice and serve. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Equipment Needed
1. 9×13 inch baking pan (or parchment-lined pan)
2. Large mixing bowls (at least two)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Electric mixer or hand whisk and strong arm for beating
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for folding
6. Box grater or food processor for shredding zucchini
7. Wire cooling rack
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping nuts and trimming zucchini
FAQ
Zucchini Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: use 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour plus 2 cups all purpose for a nuttier, slightly denser cake; or 3 cups cake flour if you want it lighter, but reduce mixing and handle batter gently.
- Vegetable oil: swap with 1 cup melted coconut oil for a mild coconut note, or 1 cup light olive oil for a fruitier flavor; if you want less fat use 3/4 cup applesauce but cake will be a bit more tender and less rich.
- Granulated sugar: replace up to half with 1 cup packed light brown sugar for more moisture and caramel taste; for less refined sugar use 2 cups coconut sugar but color will be darker and flavor slightly caramelized.
- Cream cheese (for frosting): you can do 8 ounces mascarpone for a richer, less tangy frosting, or 8 ounces Greek yogurt mixed with 4 ounces softened butter for tang and stability, chill that frosting before spreading.
Pro Tips
1) Don’t squeeze the zucchini too dry. If you wring out all the moisture you’ll lose some of the cake’s tenderness and it can turn out dry. Just press it in a clean towel a couple times till it’s not dripping, but still a bit damp.
2) Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If it’s even a little warm the cream cheese frosting will slide right off or get runny. Be patient, or stick the cake in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to speed it up.
3) Toast the nuts for better flavor. Put chopped walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking often until fragrant. Let them cool before folding in so they don’t melt the batter.
4) Don’t overmix the batter. Once the wet and dry are together, stir just until you can’t see big streaks of flour. Overmixing gives you a tough, chewy cake and nobody wants that.
Zucchini Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
I just made a Zucchini Sweets spice sheet cake so tender and moist with velvety cream cheese frosting and chopped walnuts that you’ll keep scrolling until you get the recipe.
12
servings
790
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9×13 inch baking pan (or parchment-lined pan)
2. Large mixing bowls (at least two)
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Electric mixer or hand whisk and strong arm for beating
5. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for folding
6. Box grater or food processor for shredding zucchini
7. Wire cooling rack
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping nuts and trimming zucchini
Ingredients
-
3 cups all purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons baking soda
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
-
2 cups granulated sugar
-
1 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1 cup vegetable oil
-
3 large eggs
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis), squeezed lightly if very wet
-
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
-
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
-
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
-
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the frosting
-
Pinch of salt for the frosting
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment, set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves until evenly mixed.
- In another big bowl beat 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1 cup vegetable oil until smooth; add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, do not overmix.
- Fold in 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium, squeezed lightly if very wet) and 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using. The batter will be thick and moist.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will melt.
- For the frosting beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter until creamy and smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
- Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy, beating until you get a smooth, spreadable frosting. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt if needed.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake, sprinkle extra chopped walnuts or pecans on top if desired, slice and serve. Store leftover cake covered in the fridge.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 202g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 790kcal
- Fat: 40.9g
- Saturated Fat: 12.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 12.9g
- Monounsaturated: 8.3g
- Cholesterol: 89mg
- Sodium: 252mg
- Potassium: 174mg
- Carbohydrates: 107.3g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Sugar: 82.2g
- Protein: 7.2g
- Vitamin A: 300IU
- Vitamin C: 3.8mg
- Calcium: 36mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
