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!! Don’t miss my 50 Best Cake Recipes if you want to be inspired!
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. Try my Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls for more of this timeless combination.
Zucchini in Baking
Some folks wonder why do I use zucchini in baking. First off, I love zucchini. It works amazingly as a savory side or is 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.
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.
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?
Yes, you can! I do recommend allowing them to thaw first. The cake may also be tinted more of a blueish color as the thawed blueberries will bleed a bit more.
Can I Make this Into Bread?
Absolutely. Pour batter into 4 mini loaf pans and bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick is removed with crumbs, but no wet batter.
More Zucchini Treats
Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups finely shredded and lightly drained zucchini
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature
- 1 cup (224g) vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (450g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pint fresh blueberries, you can reserve a few for garnish if so desired
Lemon Buttercream
- 1 cup (226g) butter, room temperature
- 3½ cups confectioners' sugar
- juice of one lemon
- zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Cake
- 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 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 stir 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.
Lemon Buttercream
- Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat until 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).
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
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!
Loved this cake, so did everyone else. I like lemon so I added the zest to the cake and made enough buttercream to frost entire cake. Great way to use zucchini and blueberries since we usually have them around the same time.
But I have read the comments on soggy cake or it staying wet and not baking in the center, you have to SQUEEZE the moisture out of the zucchini, I think that is everyone’s problem. Great job Amanda!
This recipe looks amazing! Quick question, plz- did you have any problem with the lemon juice making the frosting too thin? Thank you!
This was AMAZING! I am very picky about my baked goods and even pickier about recipes. This is the first recipe that I thought was good enough to post a comment.:)
YAY!!
Thanks for the knowledge dear i hope to cook my cupcakes .
Just made this cake and it’s fabulous! Used lemon zest and juice and the bitterness is delish! If you’re not a huge frosting fan, I think the cake would be wonderful with some powdered sugar sprinkled over it as it’s very moist and just sweet enough alone.
So I’ve just baked the cake! It’s just cooling now and it looks delicious!! It’s only the 2nd ever cake I’ve attempted to make! When you go to frost it did you trim the bottom layer?
Thank you for all the wonderful zucchini recipes! We love zucchini so much we grow it, eat it, shred and freeze it every year, and your recipes are a delight! TY TY TY! I am baking the blueberry zucchini lemon buttercream cake tonight as a single layer cake which my 4 year old grandaughter helped me with, can’t wait to pull it out of the oven…I will try to figure out how to send you a pic cause its going to be beautiful!
Love the recipe and I made one myself. Only I used Milled Flaxseed inplace of eggs. Turned out pretty good =)
I made this delicious, Berry and Zuchini cake/with the fabulous icing sometime last week. It was so fantastic that I have already made it two more times with different berries and in different types of pans. So, so good. Just wish it had no calories.
How many servings is this Blueberry Zucchini Cake with Lemon Buttercream?