This Zucchini Banana Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect marriage of light and sweet!
Banana Zucchini Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
There is something utterly refreshing about walking out to the garden and choosing a vegetable that I can turn into a cake. So often when I think about cake and baking I think sugar, sweet, over-the-top decadence.
The Secret to Baking with Zucchini
Size matters. A large zucchini will be drier. A small zucchini with have more moisture. Certain recipes work best with different sizes. Pay attention to the recipe – some will ask that you retain the moisture of the zucchini, and some will say drained or excess moisture removed.
How to Grate Zucchini
Use the fine side of your grater for smaller shredded zucchini. If you use the larger side, the coarser pieces will have a slightly more noticeable flavor and texture in a finished cake or bread recipe. Either will work in the recipe, it just depends on if you want the zucchini noticeable (visually and texturally).
How to Store Zucchini Cake
This cake should be refrigerated and will stay fresh for 1-2 days.
Can I Make in a Different Size Pan?
Yes! This recipe was adapted from my banana zucchini bread recipe, so if you would prefer loaf pans you can certainly use them. Readers have made this in a 9×13, but I have not tested that specifically. You will want to keep an eye on baking times, as it will bake longer in one pan.
More Zucchini Desserts
Zucchini Banana Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Banana Zuccchini Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (224 g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, about 1 cup mashed
- 2 cups (about 240 g) shredded zucchini, excess moisture removed but not dry
Whipped Cream Cheese
- 8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) cold heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake
- Heat oven to 350 and prepare three 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a stand mixer on low speed add in the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and banana. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until fully combined.
- One cup at a time add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Mix until just incorporated and remove bowl from mixer.
- Stir in the drained and shredded zucchini.
- *I prefer to not peel the green skin off on my zucchini, but you certainly can. If you have a very large zucchini, remove any seeds prior to grating.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes, or until inserted toothpick is removed mostly clean.
Whipped Cream Cheese
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat whipping cream on medium high until stiff peaks form; about 3 minutes.
- Place whipped cream into a separate bowl and clean out stand mixer bowl.
- In clean stand mixer bowl whip cream cheese with whisk attachment until light and smooth. Add in sugar, salt and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
- Remove bowl from stand mixer and gently fold in whipped cream to cream cheese mixture.
- Can be used immediately. You can store in refrigerator until ready to use, just be sure to bring to room temperature before piping or spreading.
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.
Are you able to use a 9×13 pan to make this cake
Can I use a 9 by 13 pan ?
Can I use a 9×13 pan instead of 3 rounds?
just did it and it took a big longer to cook, but worked fine 🙂 also used store bought cream cheese frosting.
Love making all kinds of cakes / bread pudding
Just made this but kept it simple and baked 2 8” square layers and used buttercream frosting. Really, really yummy. Donating one of the cakes to a bakery sale this weekend, and saving the other to share with family.
Do u have to keep it refrigerator or sit on counter for a couple of days?
Can you make this as muffins?
Love this recipe!!! Best whip cream/cream cheese frosting I’ve ever had and cake is super moist
Excellent. Melt in mouth flavor and moist. Not soggy next day. Toothpick came out clean at 22 minutes convection bake. I left it in a little longer just to be sure. A little over inch deep. Used 9×13. Added nutmeg and little ginger. No brown sugar but was still delish.
I’m looking to try this. What do you think of peanut butter frosting instead of cream cheese frosting
This cake is amazing, but it does need to be refrigerated. I learned from experience you do need 3 cake pans instead of 2. Has more icing than cake. With not using 3.
I would like the calories/breakdown
I’ll be making this again.
Delicious and easy to make! Invited to a potluck, just moved, still unpacking and thankfully had all the ingredients on hand. I did make a couple changes, I doubled the cinnamon and added 1 tsp nutmeg.
I baked it in a bundt pan for 45 minutes.
I am sharing the recipe with many others from potluck!
Going to make this today. Is it 350 degrees in a conventional or fan oven please?
Thank you.