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This moist and easy Zucchini Cake starts with a ‘doctored up’ spiced cake mix and it’s topped with a tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. A delicious way to use summer’s bounty of zucchini! 

For more family favorite zucchini recipes be sure and make my Chocolate Chip Zucchini MuffinsLemon Zucchini BreadZucchini Chocolate Chip Bread, or Zucchini Walnut Muffins.

A pan of the cake frosted and topped with walnuts.

Best Zucchini Cake Recipe With Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake mix zucchini cake recipe is an easy cake recipe that starts with a box of spice cake mix! The cake mix is ‘doctored up’ with some moisture adding ingredients like more eggs, oil, and sour cream to make the cake so moist and delicious. Whip up a tangy cream cheese frosting for the top of the cake for a summertime dessert favorite. 

I love baking with zucchini! It adds so much moisture and some nutritional value to baked goods. This 9×13 cake recipe is a wonderful recipe to use up lots of zucchini that you may have from your garden, or take advantage of the cheaper prices of the summertime produce at the store. 

A slice of the cake on a plate with a fork
A slice of the cake on a plate with a fork

Ingredients Needed

Easy Zucchini Spice Cake Ingredients 

  1. Spice Cake Mix : A cake mix makes this recipe so quick and easy to prep, and it provides consistent results that anyone can achieve. 
  2. Ground Cinnamon
  3. Ground Nutmeg
  4. Vegetable Oil
  5. Large Eggs
  6. Sour Cream : I prefer the thickness and taste of regular sour cream but reduced-fat lite sour cream can be used if wanted. 
  7. Vanilla Extract
  8. Finely Grated Zucchini : You need 1 cup of shredded zucchini for the cake; which is equal to about one large zucchini or medium zucchini. Make sure that you use the fine side of the cheese grater and that you wring out the excess water before adding it into the cake batter. 
  9. Chopped Walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients 

  1. Cream Cheese
  2. Butter : I use salted butter but unsalted butter can be used if that’s what you have. You may want to add additional salt to the frosting if using unsalted butter, to help balance the salt & sweet.  
  3. Powdered Sugar
  4. Milk : The higher fat percentage of milk that you use, then you will need more of it to help make the frosting consistency. If using heavy cream or half and half, start with the highest amount and add from there if needed. If using whole milk, 2%, or less, then start with the lowest amount of milk called for and add from there if needed.
  5. Vanilla Extract 
Ingredients for this cake

How To Make Easy Zucchini Cake With A Spice Cake Mix (Printable Full Recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch pan (cake pan) with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the spice cake mix, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until thoroughly mixed. 

In a separate large bowl using an electric mixer, or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. 

process photos

Add in the drained & grated zucchini and the chopped walnuts, beat on low speed until combined. 

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined and no dry streaks or pockets remain in the cake batter. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated into the batter. 

process photos
process photos

Pour the cake batter into the prepare pan making sure to spread it out evenly. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. 

To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until it’s smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and thick but still spreadable.

process photos

Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled zucchini cake and garnish with chopped walnuts if wanted. Serve right away or let it refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving for a chilled and more set frosting.

process photos

How To Store A Zucchini Cake

Because of the cream cheese frosting, any leftover cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Place pieces of cake inside an airtight container OR cover the cake pan well with plastic wrap or a lid for proper storage. I actually really love this cake chilled from the fridge so leftovers are always my favorite!

Serving of the cake on a white plate.

Substitution & Variation Ideas

  • Cake Mix : If you can’t find the spice cake mix or prefer a different one, try using a French vanilla, white, or buttery yellow cake mix instead. The flavor will be slightly different because it won’t have the added ‘spices’ from the spice cake mix, but it will be delish and still work well. 
  • Garnishes : For a pretty presentation, add some finely chopped walnuts or pecans on top of the frosted cake. You could also add some ground cinnamon or serve the cake as-is with equally delicious results. Or try sprinkle some chocolate chips over top the cake for a chocolate zucchini cake twist; use miniature chocolate chips for the best texture. 
  • Lighten It Up! : If wanted, substitute applesauce for the oil in the cake recipe. This makes the cake a little healthier, reduces fat and calories, but still yields a moist cake. Use sweetened applesauce or unsweetened applesauce, whichever you prefer. You could even use cinnamon applesauce to compliment the warm spice flavor in the zucchini cake. 
  • Use A Bundt Pan : Pour the zucchini cake batter into a 9 or 10-inch bundt pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray and then dusted in flour. This will make a zucchini bundt cake!
A slice of cake with the cake pan behind it.
Top view of the finished cake recipe

Recipe Tips For Semi-Homemade Zucchini Cake

  1. Zucchini : After grating the zucchini, make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel, paper towel, or your clean hands to ‘wring’ it out. You can grate the zucchini on the larger side of the grater or the finer side of the grater. Peel the skin off the zucchini or leave it on, whichever way you prefer!
  2. Dairy Ingredients : For the best texture, use room temperature dairy ingredients; eggs, sour cream, and butter. I usually forget about this and don’t do it, but if you remember to do it, then it does make a slight different in the cake texture and how easily the ingredients incorporate into the cake batter. 
  3. Let The Cake Cool : Allow the cake to cool completely inside the baking pan, on a wire cooling rack, before adding the tangy cream cheese frosting on top. If the cake is warm, the frosting will melt right off and won’t set. 
  4. Cream Cheese Frosting : Depending on what fat percentage of milk you use, you will need less or more of it, to get the correct thick but spreadable consistency. Higher fat milk such as heavy cream or half and half will require more milk, while lower-fat milk such as fat-free, 1%, or 2% will need less milk to get the correct consistency. To adjust the thickness or thinness of the frosting, add more milk or more powdered sugar as needed. 
A slice of cake with a fork bite taken out of it and topped with frosting.

More Cake Recipes You’ll Love

A slice of cake with a fork bite taken out of it and topped with frosting.
Together As Family Logo

Easy Zucchini Cake


Author Jessica – Together as Family
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 18
This moist and easy Zucchini Cake starts with a 'doctored up' spiced cake mix and it's topped with a tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting. A delicious way to use summer's bounty of zucchini! 

Ingredients
  

Zucchini Cake

  • 1 box (13.25 oz) spice cake mix
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup finely grated zucchini (drained & patted dry of liquid)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk (see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional garnish)

Instructions

Make The Zucchini Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch pan (cake pan) with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside. 
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the spice cake mix, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until thoroughly mixed. 
    1 box (13.25 oz) spice cake mix, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • In a separate large bowl using an electric mixer, or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. 
    3 large eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Add in the drained & grated zucchini and the chopped walnuts, beat on low speed until combined. 
    1 cup finely grated zucchini, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined and no dry streaks or pockets remain in the cake batter.
    * Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is incorporated into the batter. 
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan making sure to spread it out evenly. 
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
    Let the cake cool completely, inside the cake pan, on a wire rack at room temperature. 

Make The Cream Cheese Frosting

  • To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until it's smooth and creamy.
    1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the frosting is smooth and thick but still spreadable.
    3 cups powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled zucchini cake and garnish with chopped walnuts if wanted. Serve right away or let it refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving for a chilled and more set frosting.
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Notes

Cake Mix Size : Not sure why, but they have changed the ounce size of the cake mixes – but only some brands! If you are using a standard 15.25 ounce cake mix then you need to add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour in with the cake mix ingredients. The recipe has been tested using the new size of cake mix (13.25 oz). 
Milk : Higher fat milks like heavy cream or half and half will need more milk to attain the correct frosting texture (thick but still spreadable). While the lower fat milks, you will need less milk to bring the frosting to the right consistency. Any milk will do but use more or less depending on the fat content. 
Zucchini : You can peel the skin off the zucchini before grating it or leave it on, whichever you prefer. Make sure to use a paper towel or clean dish cloth to press and blot the zucchini dry before adding it into the mixing bowl. Measure the 1 cup needed after you have blotted the zucchini dry. 

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 422IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

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