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.
My zucchini banana cake is in the oven now. I am baking it in loaf pans with brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Hope it turns out good. BTW I like your layer cake idea and your cream cheese icing recipe looks super delish. Unfortunately I don’t have any cream cheese in my fridge. If it wasn’t for the pandemic I would have made a quick run to the store for some. Also it is a heat wave here in Montreal Canada so I’m baking the loaf cakes in my convection oven. I googled for correct temperature and cooking time (325 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes). I’ve been baking and cooking since I was 10 years old. I’m 59 now and a baking/cooking junkie! 🍰🍫🍳🍪🍞🍔🍲🍜🍝
9 oz. cream cheese? Do you use a pack a bit from another pack?
Hi, Penny! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. It is an 8-ounce package of cream cheese; I updated it in the recipe. Thanks, and have great day!
Can you make the cake in a 9 x 13 pan
Hi, Colleen! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. The amount of batter in the cake would work in a 9×13-inch pan, but we have not replicated that here so you may have to adjust the baking time. Have a great day!
Can you make the cake in a 9 x 13 pan or a 15 x 10 pan.
Hi, Colleen! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. The amount of batter in this cake should be fine for a 9×13-inch pan. You may have to adjust the baking time, however, as we have not replicated that here. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Glad to see more recipes. Do you grease and flour the cake pans? You just say prepare pans in recipe.
Hi, Jackie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. To prepare the cake pans, you can spray them with a nonstick spray, use a butter/flour method, line them with parchment paper, or we have a homemade GOOP you could use. I hope this helps, and have a great day!
Any ideas for diabetic recipes? Substitute sugar?
Hi, Jackie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We don’t have specific diabetic recipes, but it is a great suggestion! Have a great day!
Can this cake be made in a 9 x13 pan?
Hi, Laurie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Yes, you could use a 9×13-inch pan for this recipe, but we have not tested that so I can’t say how the bake time would need to be adjusted. Let us know if you try it, and have a great day!
Please send me all the amazing zucchini recipes including cakes, bread, and and all including blueberries
Hi, Tammy! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Here are quite a few zucchini recipes from the site: Big List of Ultimate Zucchini Recipes. Have a great day!
can you use yellow zucchini
Yup
Looking forward to it.