This sheet pan zucchini cake is a great way to use up garden zucchini and makes a delicious dessert for a crowd.
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Hello, my friends!
What do you think about zucchini?
I have a love/hate relationship with this beautiful green vegetable.
Mostly love.
In the spring when I’m planting I think about all the wonderful things I can make with zucchini. I get excited and one plant never seems like enough. And then in the middle of harvest season when I’m picking 5 or 6 a day I wonder what I was thinking planting more than one.
*Sigh*
But when neighbor’s cars aren’t available to ditch them in, the process of trying to use them up always yields the most delicious recipes. So I can’t complain.
Today’s recipe originated during last year’s zucchini harvest when I needed a dessert recipe for a potluck and I was in the mode of stashing zucchini in everything I made.
I love this recipe because it comes together quickly, bakes in just 20 minutes, and feeds a lot.
The result is a delicious cake that everyone will love.
How to make this sheet pan zucchini cake
First grate the zucchini. I like to use the shredder attachment for my food processor to do this, but you can also grate it by hand.
Next whisk together dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl beat the sugars and eggs together. I use a hand or a stand mixer with whisk attachment for this, but you can also mix it by hand.
While the mixer running (or whisking with the other hand), add oil in a slow, steady stream. Be careful to pour oil away from the beaters or whisk or it will splatter and make a mess everywhere.
Once the oil is added, increase the speed to high (or whisk quickly by hand) and mix until the batter is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer.
Stir in the zucchini and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain (being careful not to overmix).
Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
After the cake has been frosted, store it in the refrigerator until serving.
A few tips and ingredient preferences
Making sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for the frosting is important. Otherwise it will be lumpy instead of silky smooth and delicious.
I haven’t tried freezing this cake, but I’m guessing it would work just fine.
Some people collect pez dispensers. I have a thing for buying and trying A LOT of different brands of vanilla. If you have a new favorite brand, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. This clear Mexican vanilla (aff. link) is my very favorite brand of vanilla in this frosting. It is delicious.
Okay my friends, I’ll leave you with the recipe for this delicious zucchini cake. I hope you love it like I do.
Sheet Pan Zucchini Cake
This sheet pan zucchini cake is a great way to use up garden zucchini and makes a delicious dessert for a crowd.
Ingredients
Sheet Pan Zucchini Cake:
- 3 ⅛ cups (15.6 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (20 ounces) grated zucchini
- 1 ¾ cups (13 ounces) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cups (4.4 ounces) light brown sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups canola oil
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 8-ounce pkg. cream cheese softened
- 5 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (4.3 ounces) powdered sugar
Instructions
For Sheet Pan Zucchini Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a ½ baking sheet (11 x 17-inches) with parchment paper and spray sides with cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk together to combine and set aside.
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Wash zucchini and in a food processor fitted with a fine shredding disk (or grate by hand using a fine grater), shred the zucchini. Set aside.
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In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer (or use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or by hand with a whisk), beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds.
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Reduce the speed to medium and with the mixer running, add oil in a slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil away from the beaters or whisk.
-
Increase the speed to high (or whisk quickly by hand) and mix until the batter is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer.
-
Stir in the zucchini and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain (being careful not to overmix).
-
Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
For Frosting:
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until creamy and smooth.
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Add the vanilla and heavy cream and mix until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add additional heavy cream and whip thoroughly if needed for a softer frosting.
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Frost the cooled cake and store the frosted cake in the refrigerator until serving.
Recipe Notes
1. I love using this clear Mexican vanilla (aff. link) in the frosting. It’s my favorite.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
Perfect as is! Moist but not soggy, just right amount of sweetness and frosting. I made with King Arthur GF flour. The comment app wouldn’t let me select all 5 stars but it is a “Five star”.
Thanks Maria!