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Zucchini Cake Recipe

Zucchini Cake Recipe with cinnamon-spiced, walnut-studded layers and a faint golden-brown butter cream cheese frosting swirl. Moist green-speckled slices with pineapple for extra tenderness, baked in two round pans and finished with toasted walnut halves.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 400
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 shredded zucchini, squeezed dry Squeeze well to avoid excess moisture.
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 cup crushed pineapple, drained Drain thoroughly.
  • 0.5 cup toasted walnuts Crushed for the batter; reserve some halves if desired for the top.
Brown butter cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese Soften before frosting.
  • 0.5 cup browned butter Measure after browning.
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 2 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the zucchini cake layers
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch round pans. Lightly coat the sides so the layers release cleanly.
  2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed.
  3. Beat the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl until smooth and glossy. Beat just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly.
  4. Stir in the shredded zucchini, drained crushed pineapple, and toasted walnuts. Mix until the fruit and nuts are evenly suspended.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until no dry streaks remain. Stop mixing as soon as the batter looks uniform.
  6. Divide the batter between the two pans. Level the tops so the layers bake evenly.
  7. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. The tops should look set and lightly golden.
  8. Cool the cakes completely before frosting. Let them cool on a rack until warm is gone to prevent the frosting from melting.
Make frosting and finish
  1. Make brown butter, then cool it to room temperature before using. Use a faint golden-caramel color as your visual cue.
  2. Beat the cream cheese, browned butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and spreadable. Scrape the bowl to remove any lumps.
  3. Frost the cooled cake layers, swirling to create a textured top and sides. Spread gently so the layers don’t crumble.
  4. Top with toasted walnut halves for decoration. Place them on the top edge so the crunch is visible in each slice.

Notes

Pro tip: squeeze the zucchini very dry and drain the pineapple well—this keeps the crumb moist instead of wet. Store frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months, then thaw and frost. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese in the frosting (the flavor will stay close, but it may be slightly less rich).