Moist and addictive, this Zucchini Cake is filled with zucchini, pineapple and coconut and is topped off with a silky cream cheese frosting.
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.
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
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
How to Make Zucchini Cake
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together.
- Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Mix until mostly combined. It will feel dry at this point.
- Add the zucchini and pineapple. Stir to combine.
- Pour into a baking pan that has been greased or lined with parchment paper.
- Bake!
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is super easy to make!
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until they are light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat to combine, then add the vanilla.
- Beat until you have reached your desired consistency.
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.
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.
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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Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger.
- 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.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool completely.
- 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.
WENDY LADYBUG says
Absolutely loved this cake. Made it in New Zealand using fresh zucchini from the garden. It’s summer here in February in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the perfect cake …Thank you
Deborah says
Thanks Wendy – I’m so glad you loved it! And I’ jealous of your summer weather 🙂
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.
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.
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!
Ana says
Thanks🙏
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.
Bev Sawyer says
Can I omitted the coconut out in the zucchini pinezpp,e cake?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it without the coconut, but I would guess that it would work.
Pam says
Can this be frozen? With the frosting?
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!
WENDY LADYBUG says
Yes… froze it with the frosting and it’s perfect.
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.
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.
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.
April says
This cake is moist and delicious! I love it!