Pumpkin zucchini cake is moist and flavorful cake packed with pumpkin, zucchini, and cozy fall spices. It's topped with dreamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting and makes the perfect fall treat!
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender and moist pumpkin zucchini cake is filled with cozy fall spices and topped with a thick layer of cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Pan size: 9-inch round
Serves: 10 or more
Similar to: Pumpkin Zucchini Cookies, Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Pumpkin - You'll need half a can of pumpkin puree for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is made with one ingredient - pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is made with added sugars and spices, which would make your cake overly sweet and heavily spiced.
- Zucchini - You'll need one cup of finely shredded zucchini with the liquid squeezed out after measuring.
- Dry ingredients - All-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and cloves. I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour. If you have another type of flour on hand, do a search for a recipe developed for your preferred flour instead of potentially wasting ingredients.
- Wet ingredients - Vegetable oil, egg, and granulated sugar add moisture and flavor to your cake. Omitting or reducing these ingredients can cause your cake to turn out dry.
- Cream cheese frosting - Cream cheese, butter, confectioner's sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract create a creamy, fluffy frosting for your cake. If you prefer a thin layer of frosting, cut this portion of the recipe in half.
How to make pumpkin cake
- Add wet ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into a greased cake pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake until cake pops back when gently pressed in the center.
- While cake cools, mix frosting in a large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Spread onto cooled cake, slice, and serve.
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.
Use a kitchen scale - The most common issue I see in baking is the improper measuring of flour. Scooping with the measuring cup compacts the flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. This results in a dry, bland cake. Use a scale for accurate results every time.
Do not frost a warm cake - The frosting will melt if your cake is still warm. Allow your cake to cool completely before frosting and serving.
Refrigerate leftovers - Cream cheese frosting requires refrigeration after 2 hours. If you've refrigerated your cake, allow it to come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving to allow cake to soften.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, pumpkin zucchini cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Place cake in the freezer, uncovered, until solid (about 2-3 hours). Gently wrap in plastic wrap and foil while frozen, then return to the freezer. To thaw, unwrap and place at room temperature, uncovered, for 2-3 hours to bring back to room temperature before serving.
This recipe is made with cream cheese buttercream frosting. It's sweet, but not as sweet as a classic grocery store buttercream. If you don't like sweet frosting, I recommend cutting this recipe in half for a thinner layer of frosting (or skip the frosting entirely and add a dusting of confectioner's sugar on top).
It tastes just like a pumpkin cake, with the main flavors being the spices included (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves). Zucchini has a mild flavor that's undetectable in baked goods and only adds a moist, tender texture to the baked cake.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin cake
- 1 cup (135 g) finely grated zucchini, after measuring, squeeze liquid out
- 1 scant cup (212 g) pumpkin puree, (½ can)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch cloves
Cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups (200 g) confectioner's sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside (optionally, add a round piece of parchment to the bottom for easy removal later).
- Measure 1 cup (135 grams) of grated zucchini, then place into a few layers of paper towels, or a kitchen towel, and gently squeeze over the sink to remove excess liquid. Zucchini should measure about 70 grams afterward.
- In a large bowl, add wet ingredients: zucchini, pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk to remove clumps.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated.
- Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan and gently tap on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until cake springs back when gently pressed in the center. If it leaves an indent, your cake needs more time. Cake is done when it reaches 210F in the center.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire cooling rack. Once cake is only slightly warm (not hot), carefully turn out onto a serving plate to finish cooling.
Frosting
- While your cake cools, prepare the frosting.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until fluffy and smooth, about a minute.
- Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt and mix until incorporated.
- Add confectioner's sugar, half at a time, and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Switch to high speed and whip until light and fluffy, about a minute.
- Spread with a knife onto cooled cake and serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Prefer less frosting? This recipe makes enough for a thick layer of frosting on top of your cake. Feel free to cut the frosting recipe in half for a thinner layer.
- Less sweet frosting substitution: If you don't like sweet frosting, omit the frosting entirely and add a thin dusting of confectioner's sugar just before serving.
- Storage: Cake will keep for 3 to 4 day in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated if it sits out for longer than 2 hours. Remove baked goods from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving to soften the frosting and cake.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!