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

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.

Edges of Banana Zucchini Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

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).

Big Slice of Zucchini Banana Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

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

Banana Zucchini Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting!
4.94 from 16 votes

Zucchini Banana Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 41 minutes
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.

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
  • â…› 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.

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Meet Amanda Rettke

Amanda Rettke is the creator of I Am Baker, and the bestselling author of Surprise Inside Cakes: Amazing Cakes for Every Occasion – With a Little Something Extra Inside.Over the course of her 15+ year blogging adventure, she has been featured in and collaborated with the Food Network, New York Times, LA Times, Country Living Magazine, People Magazine, Epicurious, Brides, Romantic Homes, life:beautiful, Publishers Weekly, The Daily Mail, Star Tribune, The Globe and Mail, DailyCandy, YumSugar, The Knot, The Kitchn, and Parade, to name a few.

Reader Comments

  1. Made this today. Didn’t have three 8″ layer pans, so I used two. I think layers where similar to the ones in the photo. We loved the cake itself. We all thought the frosting was too sweet, we would prefer with less sugar and more cream cheese to cut the sweet a little.

  2. I know this a crazy question, are we greasing and flouring the pans? I’m thinking yes… Thank You!!

  3. My mother keeps giving me endless amount of zucchinis from her garden so I am trying out different recipes.
    Thank you, the cake is perfect, delicious! No need for frostings.
    Think I’ll bake more and share with neighbors.

  4. The best banana zucchini cake I’ve ever had. It was so moist! I used 3 large bananas and also added 1/2 cup of evaporated canned milk(I had it leftover from another recipe). I put it in a Jelly Roll pan and baked it for 25 Min.

  5. This is one of our summertime favorites! We make this cake at least once, a year, and often even more! SO YUMMY!

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