Zucchini Cake With Brown Sugar (Print View)
Moist zucchini cake with grated squash, warm spices and a silky brown sugar icing.
# What You Need:
→ Zucchini Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
12 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
13 - 2 cups finely grated zucchini
14 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
→ Brown Sugar Icing
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
16 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
17 - 2 tablespoons milk
18 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
03 - In a large bowl, beat vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Blend in yogurt and vanilla extract.
04 - Stir in grated zucchini. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. If desired, incorporate chopped nuts.
05 - Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
07 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and milk, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches a gentle boil. Boil gently for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
08 - Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable.
09 - Spread icing evenly over cooled cake. Allow icing to set before slicing and serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The brown sugar icing melts into each bite like a buttery secret you wont want to share.
- It stays ridiculously moist for days—assuming it lasts that long on your counter.
02 -
- If you skip cooling the cake fully, your icing slips off in buttery puddles—patience really pays off here.
- Switching to a hand whisk for the icing gave me a smoother finish than any mixer ever did.
03 -
- Lining the pan with parchment makes lifting the cake out a breeze—no more stuck corners.
- Mix grated zucchini with a pinch of sugar and let it sit for five minutes to release extra moisture before folding in.