Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s to the garden I go! And come back with loads of zucchini. And then bake with it. It’s in my blood people. This Lemon Blueberry Cake with loads of gorgeous Zucchini is going to be your new favorite dessert!!
Lemon Blueberry Cake
This cake is seriously amazing. The combination of lemons and blueberry is timeless, and adding in zucchini (courgettes)is the BEST way to add moisture! I used whole fresh blueberries in the cake and then added copious amounts of lemon flavor and zest to the cake and frosting. I think you will find that this cake is just plain perfect.
Zucchini in Baking
Some folks wonder why do I use zucchini in baking? First off, I love zucchini. It works amazing as a savory side or incorporated into desserts. No, you cannot taste the zucchini itself when you are baking, but you do reap the benefits of this vegetable that is packed with moisture.
I found this recipe over at allrecipes.com and it is officially labeled as Blueberry Zucchini Bread. I studied the ingredients and thought, there is no way I can pass this off as bread! Why not just make it in an 8-inch round cake pan and see how it goes.
It went. Right into my belly.
This cake is moist! Like amazingly so. I popped my cake into the freezer right after baking only because I wanted a nice clean cut. But I do recommend eating when it is still warm and the zucchini bits are lounging around the bursting blueberries in a delightful way.
Because this recipe is technically designed as a bread, this cake is pretty dense. Densely packed with deliciousness that is. 😉
I would really love to try this cake with raspberries, as my love for blueberries has inadvertently excluded all other fruit on my little baking blog. Maybe even a berry medley! Oh yeah. Definitely.
Off to bake!
- 3 eggs lightly beaten, room temperature
- 1 cup (224g) vegetable oil
- 3 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (450g) white sugar
- 2 cupd finely shredded and lightly drained zucchini
- 3 cupd (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 pint fresh blueberries you can reserve a few for garnish if so desired
- 1 cup (226g) butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cupd confectioners sugar
- 1 lemon juice and zest of (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and flour or use non-stick baking spray.
- Grate a large zucchini (or two small zucchini) and place in a clean dish towel. Life the edges of the towel up and squeeze some of the extra moisture out, but you do not want the zucchini to be dry. You will want to have 2 total cups of shredded zucchini after it has been drained. Set aside.
- In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini.
- Slowly add in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently fold in the blueberries. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
- Bake 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat till well combined.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.
- Fold in zest (If you are piping this buttercream, I recommend leaving out the zest).
*****
If you like this cake be sure to check out my other amazing Zucchini Recipes!
Like these Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. Seriously the best chocolate cupcakes, ever!
Did you leave out the lemon in the cake recipe? You say it’s in cake and frosting
Can you use cake flour instead of all purpose flour? I’ve some cake flour begging to be used. Did you leave out the lemon juice in the cake? If so how much?
You should be able to add some lemon juice and zest, to taste, but just be careful of the amount of juice, used, as it may offset the moisture, maybe up to 1/3 cup, tops.
I tend to go rather cray with the zest (at least 1 – 2 tbsp), and I think orange would also work, with this recipe!
have you ever made these as cupcakes?
Every try making into cupcakes? I want to make this but with only 2 people eating it seems like a big cake and cupcakes are easier to share! Let me know if the recipe changes the temp or baking time plz
This looks SO delicious! Can this be successfully made into a multiple layered cake, for a ‘semi-naked’ wedding cake??
Please email m me more recipes and zucchinis
I made this cake. The actual cake was good but the frosting was nearly as thick as fondant and impossible to spread.
It depends on the confectioner’s sugar you use, as it is cut with a bit of cornstarch. You can always dribble in some more lemon juice, a little bit, at a time, until the frosting is the consistency you prefer.
I will definitely make this one.
Do you have anything that calls for frozen blueberries?
Need something in about 4 days….help….
That buttercream is amazing!
There are so many typos in this recipe. Can you please fix then all?
Nope. I like them. #growup
Wonderful cake !!!!
I am crazy for anything blueberry, zucchini and lemon so i added more lemon juice than asked in the frosting and it is to die for!!!
It is to me a 10 stars out of 5 lol
Can you freeze this cake
I’ve made this cake many, many times! Love it. Easy to make, always turns out great. No, it’s not the healthiest, but everything in moderation 🙂 I’ve also used raspberries instead of blueberries. Yummy too. For the icing, I use a hand blender and mix spreadable cream cheese with lemon juice and mix in icing sugar and a little vanilla. It’s more of a runny, drizzly consistency, but tastes great. I have also made the buttercream icing – it’s thicker, like the picture, and tastes great, I just prefer the cream cheese flavour. Either way, the flavour from the fresh lemon juice really adds some zing to the cake.
I’ve made this several times as everyone loves it!
I also made it with Pineapple/mango fruit instead of the Blueberries. Awesome!
Love this recipe!!
I also have NOT made it with Frosting. I put it in two 9×9 cake pans and after baking and cooling, I cut it into loaves. I share with everyone and they love it!
Any suggestions for using less sugar?
I vegan-ized this and make it often. My friends and family love it! It’s so amazing!
I make it in a 9×13 and use cream cheese icing. Everyone loves it, my friend said it’s his favorite cake ever!
This cake was a big success for Easter! Will definetly make again, So goooooood!!
Hi. THis is great dessert. Could frozen blueberries be used instead of fresh ones?
We have made this cake several times now, and it is always delicious! Everyone loves it in my family!
Amanda, Can you pretty please add a photo option to the “Print recipe”. I hate not having a photo as the pdf when I print/save your recipes.