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Moist homemade lemon zucchini cake with white lemon glaze and fresh zucchini-lemon zest topping, sliced on a wooden board

Lemon Zucchini Cake

5 from 1 vote
A bright, moist lemon zucchini cake that's the perfect way to use up your garden's summer bounty. You won’t even taste the zucchini — just enjoy a deliciously tender, citrusy treat that stays moist for days.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Base
  • 2 cups grated zucchini - Washed, not peeled or squeezed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil - Or other oil substitute
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
Lemon Magic
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice - About 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest - From fresh lemons
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice - Fresh
  • 1 tablespoon butter - Softened
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest - Optional, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Box grater (Or food processor with shredding blade)
  • 2 Large mixing bowls (One for wet, one for dry ingredients)
  • 1 9x13 baking pan (Greased)
  • 1 Whisk (For glaze and mixing)
  • 1 Wire cooling rack (Optional, for quicker cooling)
  • 1 set Measuring cups & spoons (For dry and wet ingredients)

Method
 

  1. Wash zucchini and grate using the large holes of a box grater. Do not peel or squeeze out water. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light. Add oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla; mix well. In a second bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined. Fold in grated zucchini.
    Grated zucchini added to lemon cake batter in a glass bowl, ready to be folded in with a whisk on a marble countertop.
  3. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Unbaked lemon zucchini cake batter in a metal loaf pan on marble with a crumpled blue kitchen towel.
  4. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before glazing.
  5. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and softened butter until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake and sprinkle with lemon zest if desired.
    Mixing lemon glaze in a glass bowl with powdered sugar, lemon juice, and softened butter using a metal whisk

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.5gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 220mgPotassium: 130mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1.2mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

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