Lemon Zucchini Cake
An ultra-moist zucchini cake bursting with lemon flavor topped with a luscious lemon buttercream frosting. This is the ultimate way to use up all your fresh garden zucchini this summer!
Equipment
- 1 13x9 baking pan
- 1 electric hand mixer
- 1 stand mixer optional
- 1 set of mixing bowls
- 1 cooling rack
- 1 box grater or hand grater
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 large eggs room temp
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 2 lemons
- 3 cups zucchini grated, NOT DRAINED
Lemon Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp but not warm
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Mixing the Dry Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then line a 13x9 (metal) baking pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl then set aside until needed
Mixing the Wet Ingredients
- In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to combine both sugars and olive oil
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down sides between each addition
- Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Blend until fully incorporated
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a rubber spatula
- Fold in the shredded zucchini
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan then bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with only a few crumbs
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack
Making the Lemon Buttercream
- Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 1-2 minutes
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt. Mix on low until combined
- Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until buttercream is light and airy
- Top the fully cooled cake with frosting
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a box grater, hand grater or your food processor to shred your zucchini. I prefer using the large holes of a box grater.
- You can freeze any extra grated zucchini! See the FAQ section below for instructions.
- Use the paddle attachment or the whisk attachment to make your lemon buttercream frosting. The whisk adds more air to the frosting so I usually end up stirring it vigorously with a rubber spatula afterwards to get some air out. The paddle will add less air to your frosting. It's a personal preference which you prefer.
- DO NOT squeeze the zucchini. Leave all the moisture and water in it so that you have a nice moist cake.
- Use room temperature eggs! If you forget to take the eggs out ahead of time you can just place them in a bowl of warm-hot water for about 5 minutes.
- Don't skip out on the lemon zest. A little lemon zest adds SO MUCH lemon flavor to this amazing cake!
- Room temperature butter for the lemon buttercream should not be warm. It should be soft but not greasy with a SLIGHT chill to it in the center of the stick.
- You can use round cake pans to make a layer cake, a Bundt pan for a Bundt cake or even a loaf pan (2) to make this into a Lemon Zucchini Bread recipe! Keep in mind bake times will be slightly different. Less time for the round cake pans or the loaf pans. Slightly more in a Bundt pan.
- You can add a teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for more of a spiced cake. I like to do that when we get closer to the fall!
- Enjoy this gorgeous cake with a cup of coffee or cup of tea!
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 5gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 406mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 1gSugar: 59gVitamin A: 492IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!