Lemon zucchini cake has big citrus flavor and a moist, tender texture. We're topping this sweet lemon cake with a tangy homemade cream cheese frosting.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender and moist cake with bright lemon flavor. Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. The perfect cake for spring and summer!
Made with simple ingredients. Zucchini adds moisture and structure, and lemon zest and juice add a bright, citrusy flavor. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry staples like eggs, flour, and sugar.
Pan size: Two 9-inch round cake pans
Serves: 16 or more people
More lemon recipes: Lemon Zucchini Bread and Lemon Zucchini Cookies
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Unsalted butter - Unsalted butter and the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
- Granulated sugar - Adds sweetness and moisture to your cake. I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar listed because it can cause your cake to turn out dry.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cake.
- Lemon zest - Adds the majority of the lemon flavor to your cake. I do not recommend omitting the zest.
- Eggs - Adds structure and moisture to your cake.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure and balances with the wet ingredients in the recipe. I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose (plain) flour, so I do not recommend substituting with other types of flour. If you have a different type of flour on hand, I recommend searching for a recipe that was developed with that type of flour in mind.
- Baking powder - Adds lift to your cake as it bakes.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cake.
- Lemon juice - Adds moisture and lemon flavor to your cake.
- Zucchini - I highly recommend using finely grated zucchini for best texture in your cake. Do not squeeze the liquid from your shredded zucchini before adding to the batter.
How to make lemon zucchini cake
- Mix batter according to recipe directions below, then divide evenly between two lightly greased and parchment-lined 9 inch round cake pans.
- Bake until the centers pop back when gently pressed and cake reaches 210F in the center. The edges will begin to pull away from the pan and look lightly browned.
- Allow cakes to cool, then level off with a serrated knife and place one layer on a cake stand. Spread a layer of frosting on top.
- Top with second cake layer and top with remaining frosting. Cake can be frosted with thick layers and bare sides, or thin layers with frosted sides.
Heather's Top Tip
Use an instant-read thermometer to test the doneness of your cakes and cupcakes. Cake is done when it reaches 210F in the center. This ensures your cake is perfectly baked, not undercooked or dry.
Tips and tricks
Use finely grated zucchini - Use the small side of a box grater. A larger grate can leave a bit of texture in your cake after baking, while finely grated zucchini melts right into the batter.
Do not squeeze the liquid from your zucchini - We're utilizing that liquid to thin the cake batter and add moisture. Otherwise, the batter will turn out too thick to rise properly.
Use room temperature butter and eggs - Room temperature ingredients emulsify when mixed to create a creamy, even batter that bakes up fluffy in the oven.
Bring ingredients to room temperature quickly - Add eggs to a bowl of warm water and allow to set for 10 minutes. Slice butter into small pieces, or grate on the large side of a box grater. Small pieces warm up much faster than a whole stick.
Don't overmix the batter - This overworks the gluten, resulting in a tough cake that doesn't rise properly. Instead, use a hand mixer on low speed or even a wooden spoon.
Do not frost a warm cake - The frosting will melt if your cake is still warm. Allow your cakes to cool completely before frosting and serving.
Storage
Homemade cake is best served the same day for ideal moisture and texture.
If you're assembling your cake more than 2 hours before serving, transfer it to the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated after 2 hours at room temperature.
Leftover cake will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, but will begin to dry out over time. Allow leftover slices to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.
Frequently asked questions
Since it has a mild, neutral flavor, zucchini makes an excellent addition to baked goods. Not only does it add a bit of nutrition, it replaces higher calorie ingredients (whole milk in this particular recipe) without sacrificing moisture or texture. For more information, read my post: benefits of zucchini
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini before grating, unless you're using a very large zucchini with thick, hard skin. Small to medium zucchini has soft skin that bakes easily into your cake batter, so there's no need to peel it off. The peel of the zucchini also contains a higher concentration of nutrients that you'd be missing out on by peeling it off. If you'd like to hide the green flecks in the cake, feel free to peel the skin off before grating.
If you'd like to make your cake more than 24 hours in advance, I highly recommend freezing the baked cake layers. Cake freezes very well and retains its moisture and texture after freezing and thawing. Wrap completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze until solid.
The night before an event, transfer cake to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, or to the countertop to thaw for 2-3 hours. Remove cake from plastic wrap or containers while thawing to prevent condensation from making your cake soggy.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Lemon zucchini cake
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups (346 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups (270 g) finely grated zucchini, do not squeeze liquid out
Cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces (227 g) block-style cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ cups (400 g) confectioner's sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and grease the sides (or well grease and flour the bottoms and sides) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add butter and sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy, about a minute. Add vanilla extract, lemon zest, and eggs, beating until incorporated and smooth, about a minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt to remove clumps.
- Add half of flour mixture to batter, stirring gently until just incorporated. Add lemon juice, stirring until just incorporated. Add remaining flour and stir until just incorporated (do not overmix). Last, add shredded zucchini and stir until incorporated.
- Pour cake batter evenly between two prepared cake pans and tap a few times on the countertop to remove excess air bubbles. Bake for about 26-29 minutes, or until cake reaches 210F in the center and pops back when gently pressed in the center.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool completely in the pans on a wire cooling rack.
Frosting
- In a bowl, add block of cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamy. Add vanilla, salt, and confectioner's sugar. Starting on low speed, blend until combined. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Cake assembly
- Gently flip and remove cakes from their pans. Trim the rounded tops with a serrated knife to make flat layers. Place one layer, cut side down, onto a cake stand or serving plate.
- Gently dollop half of prepared frosting onto cake and spread to the edges in an even layer. Place remaining cake layer, cut side down, on top of your frosted layer.
- Dollop remaining frosting on top of second layer and spread to the edges in an even layer. Optionally add lemon zest or sprinkles. Slice and serve!
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Nutrition: estimate is calculated for 16 slices of cake.
- To make a single layer sheet cake: this recipe can be baked in a 9x13 baking pan for about 30-35 minutes, or a 13x18 half sheet pan for about 17-20 minutes.
- Serving tips: Cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated after two hours at room temperature. If you are not serving your cake immediately, store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes on the countertop before serving.
- Frosting: Recipe makes enough frosting to thinly coat the middle, top, and sides, or frost in thick layers on the middle and top, like shown.
- Storage: Homemade cake is best served the same day for best moisture and texture. Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, but will begin to dry out over time.
Hello, can i replace the sugar with a sweetener, how much?
Hi shay, I don't have any experience substituting sugar with other sweeteners so I can't say for sure how this recipe would turn out. Sugar not only adds sweetness but also adds moisture and lift (from creaming the butter and sugar together) so this change could cause decreased lift as well as a dry texture. I'd suggest looking for a recipe developed for the sugar substitute you'd like to use to ensure a good result.
The cake is AMAZING. The frosting is too much. Next time I'm going to do a thin frosting using powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Yes I made this cake and it was excellent. I added a tablespoon of poppyseeds and cut the cream cheese icing in half. I used a 9 X 13 pan instead of the round layer pans. I’m thinking of making another one today and freezing it 😃
Hi Marg, so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that it worked out well as a 9x13!