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Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes ★★★★★ 8 Reviews Jump to Recipe

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Moist and addictive, this Zucchini Cake is filled with zucchini, pineapple and coconut and is topped off with a silky cream cheese frosting.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

Oh, how I love a good, easy cake! This Zucchini Cake is one of my summertime favorites, but you should also try this Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Tres Leches Cake, or the easiest one of all, this Dump Cake.

slice of zucchini cake on a plate with another plate behind it

THE BEST ZUCCHINI CAKE

When I think of zucchini cake, I know I want one that is tender and moist. This zucchini cake is exactly that. The pineapple not only adds great flavor, but it keeps lots of moisture in the cake. And the cream cheese frosting is the perfect addition to this perfect summer cake!

If you are drowning in zucchini, this is one recipe you definitely want to make!

ingredients to make zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting

INGREDIENTS

Here is what you need for the cake:

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Coconut
  • Baking Soda
  • Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger
  • Salt
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Grated Zucchini
  • Crushed Pineapple

And here is what you need for the frosting:

  • Cream Cheese
  • Butter
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla

steps to make zucchini cake

HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI CAKE

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together.
  2. Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix until mostly combined. It will feel dry at this point.
  5. Add the zucchini and pineapple. Stir to combine.
  6. Pour into a baking pan that has been greased or lined with parchment paper.
  7. Bake!

steps to make cream cheese frosting

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cream cheese frosting is super easy to make!

  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until they are light and fluffy.
  2. Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine, then add the vanilla.
  3. Beat until you have reached your desired consistency.

spreading cream cheese frosting on a cake

I like to keep this cream cheese frosting less stiff or set up. I like the creaminess with this cake, so I’ll add in a bit of milk, or some of the pineapple juice. If you want the frosting on the stiffer side, just don’t add the extra liquid.

overhead view of slices of zucchini cake

TIPS AND TRICKS

*The first time I made this cake, the batter was really runny. But other times it will be thicker. It all depends on your zucchini. If you have a large zucchini, you may need to scoop the seeds out. If you have small zucchini, I just leave the seeds in. I don’t usually let the zucchini drain, but you can do that as well if you are worried about too much moisture.

*I do drain the pineapple, though. Save the pineapple juice for if you need to thin out the frosting. It gives great flavor!

*This zucchini cake does need to be stored in the refrigerator if you aren’t going to be eating it right away, or if you have extras. It is actually my favorite to have a cold slice out of the refrigerator, though!

*If you want to freeze this cake, it will work best if you do it before you frost the cake.

slice of zucchini cake with a bite taken from it

More Zucchini Recipes

Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini Cobbler Bars
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Zucchini Bread Recipe
Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Bread
Chocolate Wave Zucchini Bread

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slice of zucchini cake on a plate with another plate behind it

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

★★★★★

4.9 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Deborah Harroun
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Moist and addictive, this Zucchini Cake is filled with zucchini, pineapple and coconut and is topped off with a silky cream cheese frosting.

Scale

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly grated nutmeg to taste, optional
  • 1 pinch ginger, optional
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (remove seeds if the zucchini is large)
  • 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve juice in case you need it for the cake batter or frosting)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • splash of milk or pineapple juice, if necessary

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger.
  3. In a small bowl, beat together the oil, eggs and vanilla.  Add the mixture to the flour mixture, as well as the zucchini and pineapple.  Stir until it all comes together.  It might seem too dry to start, but continue to stir.  If the batter is still dry, add a little bit of the pineapple juice to loosen it up.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes.  Cool completely.
  5. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and the butter together until light and fluffy.  Add in the powdered sugar, beat to combine, then beat in the vanilla.  Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.  Store the cake covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes:

adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 294
  • Sugar: 34 g
  • Sodium: 316 mg
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 116 mg

Keywords: zucchini cake, zucchini sheet cake, zucchini cake recipe, zucchini dessert, zucchini recipe

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Comments

  1. Debbie Snyder says

    I love this recipe! I took some to my girl friends house and she couldn’t get enough of it. Will be my go to cake for any occasion. Good without the icing also.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  2. Kitty says

    This cake was good. I only added 1 cup of sugar instead and still found it sweet not overly but just good enough. Mine was a bit weighed down and a touch gummy probably from the excess water from zucchini. I recommend you strain the water. I also added walnuts and it just completed the cake. I chose not to ice the cake as it was already sweet enough. I will try again with less moisture.

    ★★★★

    Reply

  3. Donna Boyer says

    Delicious: tender, tastey, and perfect. I took it as a family dinner dessert. I put nuts in one half of the cake, nuts on one half of the icing, and coconut on the other half of the icing. Everyone loved it!

    Reply

  5. Sherry Hyatte says

    Like everyone in August, we have lots of zucchinis. Was looking for a new bread recipe and saw this. Made a pan and it was GONE by bedtime. I never even got to frost it, everyone was too busy eating it. Just put a double batch in the oven, we’ll see if this one hangs around long enough to get frosted.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. Jill Brown says

    You lost me when the recipe didn’t include chopped walnuts. (I call that a “female dessert”-no nuts). But I will be adding the nuts and trying this cake cuz it sounds delicious!

    Reply

  9. EllenMarie says

    Great recipe, and so easy. I love one bowl cake mixes. I added grated fresh ginger to the mix, about a scant teaspoon. Yummy tropical flavors.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  10. Beth Urban-Purtell says

    This cake is DELICIOUS!!! I made it today and my husband said it’s his favorite cake now. I used 1/2 cup less powdered sugar in the frosting and 1 teaspoon vanilla with 1 teaspoon pineapple juice instead of 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Perfect for us.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  11. Lea Ann says

    I shared this recipe with every zucchini I gave away. It’s moist and delicious and you don’t even have to frost it. I added raisins.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  13. Geri says

    This recipe is fantastic!!! I did not have coconut in the house so I left it out and it tasted just fine without it. This is one of the best zucchini recipes I have ever made – Making it again this weekend for guests!!

    Reply

  15. Pat says

    I’ve made this several times now. Absolutely delicious! One of my favorite go to recipes…Ive got one in the oven now, for my sister-in-law…I know she will love it💗

    Reply

  17. Lori says

    There is a lot of liquid in zuchini, so after shredding it squeeze out the excess liquid. All that extra liquid will weigh the cake down.

    Reply

  19. Barbara says

    Made this cake today. It was very good. Similar to a carrot cake. Excellent way to use up extra zuchinni from your garden.

    Reply

    • Deborah says

      I used small zucchini, so I didn’t squeeze out any extra moisture. I think you might need to if you use really large zucchini, though.

      Reply

  22. Marilyn says

    When I make this cake I grate the zukes then put them in a flour sack towel and squeeze out some of the excess juice. The cake turns out beautifully!

    Reply

  31. Shelly says

    I tried this recipe on Sunday and it was great. You mentioned in your directions that your batter was really runny and your cake didn't raise very high. I was a little worried about those two things so I added an extra 1/2 cup of flour and the cake turned out great. It baked up just like a normal cake and it was delicious! Try the extra flour I don't think you will be disappointed! I

    Reply

  33. Katrina says

    Wow, have some cake with your frosting! 😉 Looks de-lish. And I just bought (stupidly didn't plant my own) two giant zucchini at the farmer's market yesterday!

    Reply

  35. eatme_delicious says

    I looove carrot cake so I'm sure I'd love this! Especially with all that icing on top mmmm. Looks delicious.

    Reply

  37. Barbara says

    Just pour cream cheese frosting on just about anything and I am in heaven. Add to that a pineapple and zucchini cake… all I can say is YUM.

    Reply

  38. Saoirse says

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Sara

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    Reply

  40. Jean Bugs says

    Oh boy is this timely! I just got a ginormous zuch from a friend…now I know what I'm gonna do with it!!!

    Reply

  42. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    That cake looks delicious! I cannot resist anything that is made with cream cheese…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply