This moist lemon zucchini cake has a hint of cinnamon and lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s an easy, unique dessert recipe that’s perfect for summer gatherings!
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Your friends and family will be pleasantly surprised when you tell them this cake has zucchini in it! Zucchini makes it moist and fresh tasting. Bonus-it even sneaks a little nutrition into your dessert!
This recipe’s a yummy way to use up that extra zucchini from your garden just like my chocolate chip zucchini bread. Lemon and cinnamon add the perfect hints of summer and fall. It’s cozy and at the same time refreshing.
For more late summer desserts, try my raspberry and peach cake and apricot strudel recipe.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The batter comes together in minutes. You can mix it up by hand.
- It’s ideal for both weeknights and special occasions just like my olive oil pumpkin cake.
- Every bite is moist, fluffy and delicious.
- Use some of that garden-fresh zucchini to add a touch of nutrition to your dessert just like my carrot loaf bread and carrot cake coffee cake!
- Creamy cream cheese frosting adds a little more tang and makes the cake a little more decadent.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients.
- 1-2 zucchini: You’ll need 1–2 medium zucchinis (about 180 g / 1½ cups shredded). Since zucchini sizes can vary a lot, measure by cups or grams for accuracy. No need to peel or squeeze out the moisture—just grate with a box grater. Zucchini adds nutrition and makes the cake moist and tender. For more cakes with hidden veggies, try my chocolate sweet potato cake and pumpkin and carrot cake!
- Eggs: Use 2 large, room temperature eggs.
- Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil makes this cake moist and rich.
- Sour cream: Use full fat, room temperature sour cream.
- Lemon zest: Use 1 tablespoon of zest, from about 1 medium lemon. Lemon fans will also love my lemon and lime bars and chocolate lemon cake.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: We’re using both granulated sugar and brown sugar for the cake batter. Use light or dark brown sugar. Make sure it’s fresh.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon and vanilla add warm flavor and compliment zucchini’s late-summer vibe. The cinnamon flavor isn’t strong—just a cozy taste that makes each bite extra delicious! If you’re craving more cinnamon, try my banana cinnamon swirl bread for an extra burst of spice.
- Cream cheese: Use brick style, full fat cream cheese for the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar thickens and sweetens the frosting.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter for the frosting. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the frosting. If you use salted butter, no need to add extra salt.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use limes instead of lemons or a combination of lemon and lime.
- Add some toasted, chopped nuts to the cake batter or sprinkle some on top of the frosting for some crunch.
- For extra warm flavor, use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use all granulated sugar.
- Dried cranberries or raisins are delicious add-ins.
- Swap in yellow zucchini in place of regular zucchini.
- Instead of sour cream, use plain Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce.
- Swap in canola, avocado oil or olive oil in place of vegetable oil.
How to Make Lemon Zucchini Cake
Quick Recipe Recap
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Grate the zucchini using the medium or large holes on a box cutter.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This is optional, but it helps release more of the lemon flavor from the zest.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above). Add the brown sugar. Whisk to incorporate the brown sugar into the lemon sugar. Whisk in the eggs, oil, vanilla and sour cream.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Stir in the dry ingredients with a spatula til just combined. Do not overmix.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Stir in the grated zucchini (do not blot or drain the zucchini).
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Add batter to an 8 inch round cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 32-37 minutes. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
Step 7: (See photo 7 above). Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar mixture. Mix in a pinch of cinnamon (optional).
Step 8: (See photo 8 above). Frost the cooled cake. Zest a little extra lemon zest over the cake or dust lightly with a little ground cinnamon. Slice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
I recommed using small to medium zucchini. They’re more flavorful than big ones. They also have less seeds and give you more peel. More peel means you’ll end up with more of those pretty little flecks of green in your cake!
Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the zucchini. You can also use a hand grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding disk. I prefer a simple box grater since it’s easier to wash than a food processor.
Measure or weigh your zucchini. I typically use one and a half medium zucchini, but the size of zucchini can really vary. For best results, measure out 1 and 1/2 cups or 180 grams.
Avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cake tough.
To make the cake extra pretty, zest some lemon and or lime over the frosting. You could also dust it with a little ground cinnamon.
Instead of frosting, dust the cake with powdered sugar. You can also top it with lemon glaze!
Recipe FAQs
There’s no need to peel zucchini before using in baking. It doesn’t affect the texture of the cake if you peel it or not. The peel adds extra nutrition and gives the cake pretty flecks of green throughout.
Rinse and dry the zucchini. Cut off the ends. No need to peel the zucchini or remove the seeds. Just grate it using the medium or large holes of a box grater and that’s it. No need to blot it or squeeze out the moisture.
The ingredients and techniques you use makes a cake fluffy and moist. Make sure to measure your flour accurately. Ingredients like sour cream, oil and zucchini make the cake moist. Avoid overmixing since it can lead to a more dense cake.
Store unfrosted cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Once frosted, store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 2 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Cream cheese frosting does not stand up well to freezing. It’s best to freeze the cake without frosting.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Did you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website? Please leave a 🌟star rating below and let me know how you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below.
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Lemon Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Zucchini Cake
- 1½ cup (187.5 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons (9 g) lemon zest
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon (1¼ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 2 (100 g) large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- 1½ cups (180 g) shredded zucchini not peeled, no need to blot it or drain moisture from it
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) cream cheese brick style, full fat, room temperature
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) lemon zest add more or less zest to taste
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
Lemon Zucchini Cake
- Spray an 8 inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Measure out 1½ cups (180 grams). Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps to bring out the lemon flavor. Add the brown sugar. Whisk to incorporate the brown sugar into the lemon sugar.
- Whisk in the eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla extract til combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Stop stirring when only a few streaks of dry ingredients remain. Add the shredded zucchini. Stir til just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake 32-37 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
- Set the cake pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Next, run a knife along the edge of the pan to make sure it is not sticking to the sides. Remove cake from pan. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Make sure cake is completely cool before frosting.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand held mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until completely combined, creamy and fluffy. Mix in the lemon zest til incorporated then mix in the salt.
- Turn mixer off and add the sifted powdered sugar. Beat on low until powdered sugar is no longer visible. Turn mixer to medium high and beat for one minute. Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, if desired. Taste for sweetness. If you'd like the frosting to firm up a little, you can refrigerate it for about 10-15 minutes before frosting.
- Frost the cake right away or cover with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Joanna P
Another knockout!! Loved this one A LOT. Very moist, delicious taste and the icing was perfect. Had bake it closer to 40 min as I think I had a bit more zucchini but still great. Thanks for the recipe!
Natalie
Hi Joanna! Aww thanks for making my day with your kind words!! I”m so happy you enjoyed this cake as much as I do! Have an awesome day and thanks again!