This post may contain affiliate links.
When I’m making zucchini cake, it’s because I want cake: fluffy, high, moreish…. and frosting – especially if it’s cream cheese frosting! Too many zucchini cakes come out of the oven looking (and tasting) like zucchini bread dupes, with nuts and maple syrup and a dense texture that isn’t quite what I had in mind when I started. But that ends right here, right now with this recipe.
Friends, this is a cake – a one-bowl cake to be exact!
😍 Why You’ll Love My One-Bowl Zucchini Cake Recipe
It’s soft and moist and the perfect way to use up a bountiful summer zucchini harvest, with less fat and sugar than a traditional zucchini cake to boot! I affectionately refer to it as a ‘snacking cake’ because it’s perfect for indulging anytime, anywhere – just slice yourself a generous square and enjoy.
It’s gluten-free and has super simple adaptations if you’re dairy-free or vegan, making it an absolute showstopper at barbecues and gatherings. And the best part is, you can make it all ahead of time: chill it, and serve it whenever you’re ready. One-bowl magic!
👩🍳 How to Make My One-Bowl Zucchini Cake
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F. Line a 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
🥣 In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in the yogurt, oil, sugar, and vanilla.
🥒 Using a rubber spatula, mix in the shredded zucchini.
🧂 Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and fold into the wet ingredients until there are no lumps of flour remaining.
🫗 Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
⏲️ Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes until puffed up, golden, and just cooked through.
🌬️ Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
🧈 While the cake is cooling, make the frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese for 1 minute until lighter in texture.
🤍 Add the powdered sugar and salt on low and increase to medium until light and creamy.
✨ Spread over the cooled cake and garnish with a sprinkle or two of cinnamon around the border.
🥳 Enjoy!
🤲 Substitutions
This Zucchini cake deserves a spot at every gathering this summer, so don’t let a few pesky ingredients stand in your way! Here’s what I’d reach for if you need to…
- Make it dairy-free: Simply use a non-dairy yogurt and vegan cream cheese in this recipe.
- Use a different oil: I call for a neutral oil, such as vegetable or safflower oil, but you can use olive oil in place.
- Use the grater you have on hand: I like my zucchini finely grated in this cake, so it almost melts into the batter, but you can use a medium grate if that’s your preference.
- Make it refined-sugar-free: Coconut sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar if you want this to be refined-sugar free. Just expect it to be darker in color.
📓 This Zucchini Cake is best served…
- On its own – I call it a snacking cake for good reason!
- With a generous helping of berries. What could be more summery than that!
👝 How to Store Leftover Zucchini Cake
Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator – that cream cheese frosting will last longer that way! It’s best served day of, but if you plan to serve this the next day, store in the refrigerator and remove 2 hours before serving to take the chill off.
🧠 Common Questions
Simply swap out the cream cheese with a dairy-free variety, and the butter for vegan butter if you’re highly sensitive to dairy.
Coconut sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar if you want this to be refined-sugar free. Just note that your cake will be darker in color (but just as good to taste!)
Absolutely!
Greek yogurt would work wonderfully here, just make sure whatever yogurt you use isn’t low-fat!
In this particular instance, I have accounted for the moisture in the zucchini so once it’s shredded, it’s ready to go! Other recipes may not have accounted for the moisture and ask that you squeeze it out, but I like to keep things fast and easy around here (and it’s less to clean up which is a major bonus in my book)!
One-Bowl Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plain yogurt, 2%
- ⅓ cup neutral oil, such as safflower or vegetable
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup finely grated zucchini, from about 1 medium zucchini
- 1 ⅔ cups Gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for decorating, if desired
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.
- Line a 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in the yogurt, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the shredded zucchini.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and fold into the wet ingredients until there are no lumps of flour remaining.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes until puffed up, golden, and just cooked through.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting:
- Beat together the butter and cream cheese for 1 minute until lighter in texture. Add the powdered sugar and salt on low and increase to medium until light and creamy. It won’t be as fluffy as a buttercream, that’s okay.
- Spread over the cooled cake and garnish with a sprinkle or two of cinnamon around the border. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is the nutrition information per cake or per slice of cake?
Per slice – but keep in mind these are quite generous squares, and the calculation also includes the frosting!
Kat.
Where is the list of ingredients? I have watched the video and read the recipe and I can’t see just a simple ingredient list. Can you post it?
The ingredients are always posted at the end of the recipe, with the option to print or save as well!
Let me know if you give it a try,
Kat.
Does Greek yogurt work? Or just regular yogurt? Thanks.
Yes greek yogurt works beautifully!
Enjoy,
Kat.
Can you make this with almond flour?
I haven’t tried it with Almond flour but since almond flour is more dense and has more moisture, I’d recommend sticking to Gluten Free flour if that option is available to you. I highly recommend the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour – it’s the one I reach for most often.
Let me know if you give it a go!
Kat.
Hello, I CAN’T wait to make this, looks so yummy! Quick baking question for ya…when baking sweets with shredded veggies like zucchini, carrots etc. Do I need to use a paper towel/cloth to squeeze moisture out of the zucchini before folding into the other ingredients? Or just finely shred then it’s good it go & ready to fold? I vaguely remember having to remove moisture from spinach before adding to a recipe in my past baking, but in regards to your recipe wouldn’t the zucchini’s moisture be needed for optimum fluff/flavor/cloud-like freshness with less density?
Hi! In this particular instance, I have accounted for the moisture in the zucchini so once it’s shredded, it’s ready to go! Other recipes may not have accounted for the moisture and ask that you squeeze it out, but I like to keep things fast and easy around here (and it’s less to clean up which is a major bonus in my book)!
Let me know if you give it a try!
Kat.
Is there a recipe for the cream cheese frosting. The cake looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this but I would like the ingredients for the frosting. Thanks.
Hi Maria, the full recipe (including the cream cheese frosting!) is at the bottom of the blog here.
Let me know if you give it a try!
Enjoy,
Kat.
Did I miss the flour you use to make your gluten free zucchini cake?
I often reach for the Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour!
Kat.
Is this recipe also soy free!
Hi Colleen,
It is!
Kat
Where are the measurements for ingredients?????
Hi Arlene,
As with all of my posts, the ingredients and process are at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card. I hope you enjoy it!
Kat
Cannot find list of ingredients for Zuccini Cake. Please email.
Thanks!
Hi Evie,
As with all of my posts, the ingredients and process are at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card. I hope you enjoy it!
Kat
The zucchini cake came out great! Adding 1 tsp vanilla and some orange zest to the frosting took it up a notch. I used frozen zucchini that I had shredded and vacuum sealed. To make sure it kept the right amount of moisture for the recipe , I thawed it just to the point that I could break up the solid block of shreds with a fork, and added the partially frozen zucchini, including any ice crystals, to the batter. It baked up just as it should, delicious!
I love the sound of that orange and vanilla! I’m glad you loved this one, Jennifer!
Enjoy,
Kat.
This is delicious and so easy – I’ve already made it twice! I have made it with and without the frosting and both were delicious – thanks for a new staple!
I’m so glad you love it, Laura!
Enjoy!
Kat.