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Moist Homemade Shredded Zucchini Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Icing

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A moist and tender shredded zucchini and carrot cake with a luscious cream cheese icing, perfect for any occasion and made with simple pantry staples.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil (neutral oil like canola preferred)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis), squeezed dry
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan or 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper if desired.
  2. Wash zucchinis and carrots thoroughly. Shred using a box grater or food processor. Place shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set shredded carrots aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Fold in shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, and chopped nuts if using, distributing evenly without overmixing.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Edges may pull slightly away from the pan when done.
  8. Remove cake from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely for 1-2 hours before icing.
  9. To make the cream cheese icing, beat softened cream cheese and butter together until fluffy (3-4 minutes). Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Add lemon juice if using and chill briefly if too soft.
  10. Spread cream cheese icing evenly over the cooled cake. Optionally, decorate with chopped nuts or a light dusting of cinnamon.

Notes

[‘Squeeze shredded zucchini well to avoid soggy cake.’, ‘Do not overmix batter to keep cake tender.’, ‘Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for better texture.’, ‘Start checking cake at 50 minutes to avoid overbaking.’, ‘If top browns too fast, tent with foil.’, ‘Cooling completely before icing is crucial to prevent melting.’, ‘Nuts are optional but add nice texture.’, ‘For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour and gluten-free baking mix.’, ‘For dairy-free icing, use coconut yogurt with powdered sugar as a substitute.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: zucchini carrot cake, shredded zucchini cake, cream cheese icing, moist cake, vegetable cake, easy dessert, homemade cake

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/moist-homemade-shredded-zucchini-carrot-cake-recipe-with-cream-cheese-icing/