Zucchini Loaf Cake

This classic Zucchini Loaf Cake is a recipe packed with flavor and texture. Made with shredded zucchini, ground cinnamon, and a topping of brown butter cream cheese frosting, this loaf is a must-bake during zucchini season. An ideal snack cake—great for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet treat with coffee or tea.

Ingredients and substitutions for Zucchini Loaf Cake

• Sunflower Oil: Light sunflower oil lends a beautiful texture to this loaf cake without adding additional flavor, though you could substitute with olive oil for a more earthy flavor.
• Eggs: The eggs helps to bind the ingredients and gives the loaf structure whilst also being light.
• Sugar: The brown sugars helps add a light complimentary flavor to the spices and helps activate the baking soda, they also add the beautiful color that we know and love in this zucchini cake. The confectioner’s or icing sugar helps our cream cheese frosting be light.
• Flour: Plain or all purpose flour is best to create a nice light crumb to our cake.
• Baking soda: This is the key to the our cake lightly rising thanks to the brown sugar (the acid that baking soda needs to work with to rise) so don't leave it out, unless you are using self raising flour. You cannot sub baking powder like for like for this recipe as baking soda is 3-4 times stronger so you would need plenty more which would leave an after taste!
• Ground cinnamon: This adds depth to the loaf and compliment the zucchini flavor.
• Zucchini: Raw green zucchini (or courgettes, depending on where you live) were used here. You don’t need to blot or wring out the moisture as this helps contribute perfectly to the texture of the cake.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Zucchini Loaf Cake:

Step 1: Wet base: Whisk the eggs and sugars until smooth. Before whisking in the oil.

Step 2: Dry ingredients: Stir together with a fork (this will help remove large lumps) and toss into the wet mixture.

Step 3: Zucchini: Add the grated zucchini and roughly chopped walnuts and fold until well combined.

Step 4: Cake batter: Spoon the batter into your loaf tin and spread out evenly, placing pieces of butter down the center.

Step 5: Bake: Until golden brown and slightly pulling away from the sides of the tin.

Step 6: Frosting: Whip the brown butter until pale before adding in sugar and whipping until smooth.

Step 7: Cream cheese: Add the cream cheese and whip before adding in the vanilla extract and combine.

Step 8: Spoon: The cream cheese on the top of your loaf and smear out over the entire loaf.

Step 9: Slice: Serve and dig in!

More loaf cakes you'll love

Apple Butter Cake

French Pound Cake

Carrot Cake Loaf

Zucchini Loaf Cake

Sylvie Taylor

Lightly spiced with cinnamon, this easy Zucchini Loaf Cake is topped with a brown butter cream cheese topping for an ideal slice of summer produce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Zucchini Loaf Cake

• 165 grams / ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
• 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
• 114 grams / ½ cup sunflower oil
• 30 grams / 2 tablespoons milk
• 290 grams / 1 ¾ cups + 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 3 grams / ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 6 grams / 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 4 grams / 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 230 grams / 2 cups zucchini peeled and finely grated

Frosting

• 40 grams / 3 tablespoons brown butter room temperature
• 55 grams / ½ cup + 2 teaspoons confectioner/icing sugar
• 125 grams / 4.4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Zucchini loaf cake

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly greaseproof a loaf tin.
• Place the sugars and eggs into a bowl and whisk until pale, approximately 2 minutes.
• Add the oil and milk and whisk until combined.
• In a separate bowl stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder and ground cinnamon and stir to combine.
• Sift into the wet ingredients and stir until no dry portions remain on the edges of your bowl.
• Add the grated zucchini and fold until well combined.
• Pour into your loaf tin and smooth out on top.
• Bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean, approximately 1 hour 5 minutes.
• Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• Place the brown butter into a bowl and whip until pale, approximately 3 minutes.
• Toss in the sugar and whip until it's well combined and smooth, at least 1 minute.
• Add the cream cheese and whip a further 30 seconds before adding in the vanilla extract and combine.
• Spoon on the top of your loaf and smear out over the entire loaf.
• Slice and serve.
• Dig in!

Notes

• Zucchini: Raw green zucchini (or courgettes, depending on where you live) were used here. You don’t need to blot or wring out the moisture as this helps contribute perfectly to the texture of the cake.
• Loaf tin: A traditional loaf pan is ideal for this recipe, as it allows the cake to bake evenly and gives it that perfect shape. The loaf tin used here fits 1 kilo or 2 pounds.
• Add-ins: Feel free to add chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans or even dried cranberries to the cake for a twist.
• Best kept: Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, for 1 day with frosting. Once frosted, it will last well covered for up to 1 week.
• Can be frozen: Wrap cooled slices with or without frosting or the whole loaf tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal

Keyword brown butter, cake

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