This Spiced Zucchini Cake recipe has been updated as of September 2023 to include new photos, a cream cheese frosting, and a different pan size.
This fluffy Spiced Zucchini Cake is a simple snack cake flavored with cozy cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla – all topped off with a spiced cream cheese frosting! Make this cake dairy-free (or vegan) as written or use your favorite milk, butter, and cream cheese for a standard cake.
Spiced Zucchini Cake
Earlier this week, I noticed we had a few wrinkly zucchinis lurking in our vegetable drawer. I really wanted to make some zucchini muffins, but I wasn’t in the mood for chocolate (odd for me!). I started to think about what else I could make and decided to set out on making a spiced zucchini cake! And I’m so glad I did.
This cake is moist, fluffy, spicy, and perfectly sweetened. With a thick layer of spiced cream cheese frosting on top, it’s like a little slice of heaven. This cake is perfect for that in-between summer and fall season where you want the cozy, autumnal spices in your bakes but your fridge is still stocked with summer veggies/fruit. The ground cardamom and cinnamon pair wonderfully with the moist zucchini cake and cream cheese frosting. I just know this Spiced Zucchini Cake will satisfy your craving for fall baking!
The cake itself is easy to get together – no special instructions required! I even made it extra easy by baking it as a snack/sheet cake. After lots or recipe testing in different pans, I found that this cake bakes best in either an 11×7″ cake pan or a 9×9″ cake pan – two pans that are worth adding to your collection if you don’t already have them on hand!
The cream cheese frosting is also easy to whip up. You’ll beat together vegan butter (I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil), vegan cream cheese (I used Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese), and a bit of vegetable shortening, for stability. Add in a bit of vanilla extract and cozy cinnamon and cardamom. And then beat in your powdered sugar. I found this recipe doesn’t require any milk, but if your frosting is a little thick, feel free to add a touch of milk (start out with a teaspoon and go from there).
Ingredients You’ll Need:
All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the cake batter. I like to use an unbleached variety, but any all-purpose flour will work here. For a “healthier” option, you can replace up to half of the regular flour with a whole wheat variety – using at last half AP flour keeps the cake soft.
Ground cinnamon adds that autumnal flavor we all love to this cake. If you like a spiced cake then you’ll want plenty of cinnamon 🙂
Ground cardamom adds a lovely flavor to the cake and frosting. I highly recommend stocking your pantry with this spice – it’s one my favorite to bake with! In a pinch, you can use nutmeg in place of the cardamom.
Salt enhances the flavor of the cake.
Leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder) work alongside the other ingredients to lift the cake during baking.
Eggs add moisture and lift to this cake. I haven’t tested this cake with any egg alternatives, but I believe a simple flax egg recipe (1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water = 1 egg) will work in this cake since it is an oil-based cake.
White granulated sugar adds sweetness, of course! Feel free to use raw cane sugar or coconut sugar for this cake (just note the gram measurements/weights will vary). I don’t recommend using brown sugar in place of the white sugar.
Vanilla extract adds flavor to both the cake and frosting.
Olive oil adds moisture to the cake. Feel free to use your favorite baking oil – vegetable oil or avocado oil will both work in this cake.
Oat milk also adds moisture. Any plant-based, or regular, milk will work in this cake.
Zucchini adds so much moisture (plus a tasteless veggie kick!) to this cake. It makes for a lovely texture. I like to shred mine using the “fine” side of my grater for smaller pieces of the veggie.
Ingredients Continued…
Plant-based butter is added to the frosting for that traditional cream cheese buttercream taste. I like to use Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil. You can use your favorite plant-based butter or regular butter for the frosting.
Plant-based cream cheese brings that tangy cream cheese flavor to the frosting – a perfect pairing for the spiced cake. I used Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese in this recipe. It’s important to use the vegan cream cheese straight from the refrigerator as it has a tendency to melt at room temperature. If you plan to use regular cream cheese, you’ll need to soften it at room temperature before beating into the butter.
Vegetable Shortening helps stabilize the plant-based frosting. If you’re opposed to vegetable shortening, you can use more butter in its place – your frosting may just need a tad more powdered sugar to thicken it.
Powdered sugar makes up the bulk of the frosting. You’ll need plenty of it for this classic cream cheese frosting.
More Zucchini Recipes:
Healthier Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spiced Zucchini Cake
A soft and fluffy Spiced Zucchini Cake with finely shredded zucchini and ground spices, all topped off with a spiced cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
Spiced Zucchini Cake
- 2 cups (260g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (or 3 flax eggs - see Note 1)
- 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar (see Note 2)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup oat milk (or other milk)
- 2 cups finely shredded zucchini (2-3 medium zucchinis)
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, room temp (I recommend Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
- 6 Tbsp plant-based butter, softened
- 6oz plant-based cream cheese, cold (see Note 4)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or more butter)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 11x7" cake pan (or a 9x9" cake pan) by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick spray and lining the bottom and two sides with parchment paper - I like to cut one piece, fold the excess over the two long sides, and then trim the excess to about 1/2" overhang.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside. Shred the zucchini until you have two cups. Place on a cheesecloth or paper towel and squeeze out and discard the juice.
- In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the oil and oat milk. Finally, use a fork to whisk in the shredded zucchini, making sure to break up any chunks.
- Add the liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or spoon to gently mix until no flour pockets remain (over-mixing will result in a tough cake texture).
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few time to even out the surface and release air bubbles. Bake at 350°F for 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a couple of crumbs.
- Allow your cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a cooling rack (I leave mine upside down while it cools). Allow the cake to cool completely before making the frosting.
Frost the Cake
- Once your cake has cooled completely, you can make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, cold cream cheese (or softened if using regular cream cheese) and vegetable shortening.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and spices. Add the powdered sugar and beat on a low speed until your frosting comes together. If should be a thick yet spreadable consistency - it's normal for cream cheese frostings to be less stiff than traditional American buttercreams.
- If your frosting is too thick, you an add a little milk to thin it out. If it's too thin, you can add a little more powdered sugar. Alternatively, you can put the frosting in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill and then re-beat it (if it's melty or thin).
- Spoon the frosting onto your cooled cake and use a frosting spatula to push and swirl the frosting over the surface of the cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For vegan cake: replace the 3 large eggs with 3 flax eggs. Mix 3 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 9 Tbsp water. Allow to thicken for 5 minutes.
- Sugars: feel free to use raw cane sugar or coconut sugar in place of the white granulated sugar.
- Butter: I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks with Olive Oil in this frosting.
- Cream cheese: plant-based cream cheese should be used straight from the refrigerator as its texture is more soft, and it's prone to melting. Regular cream cheese needs to be softened at room temperature before beating.
- Shortening: you can replace the shortening with more vegan butter, but your frosting may need a tad more powdered sugar to stabilize it.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate
[…] has to be one of my favorite add-ins to baked goods. Muffins, bread, and even cake can all be deliciously made with heaps of good-for-you zucchini! A green veggie in my desserts? […]