Description
This moist and flavorful Lemon Zucchini Cake combines the fresh zestiness of lemon with tender shredded zucchini to create a deliciously moist loaf cake. Made with simple pantry ingredients and a quick prep time, this cake is perfect as a refreshing treat for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack. The cake is topped with a tangy lemon glaze for a bright finishing touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or vegetable/canola oil)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vanilla almond milk (or whole milk)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 2 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour with cake flour substitution)
- 1 ⅓ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups shredded zucchini, drained and squeezed dry
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep Oven & Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt to ensure even distribution of leavening and seasoning. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and oil until combined. Add the eggs and almond milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla (or almond) extract to infuse the batter with citrus and vanilla flavors.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until just combined to avoid overmixing and creating a tough cake. Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and lemon zest to evenly distribute the moisture and fresh lemon flavor.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. The top should appear dry and lightly golden for perfect doneness.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes to set. Then, carefully lift the cake out using the parchment paper and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, preventing sogginess.
- Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle this lemon glaze evenly over the cooled cake to add a sweet and tangy finish.
- Serve: Slice the cake into servings and enjoy this moist, zesty treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
Notes
- Ensure the shredded zucchini is well-drained and squeezed dry to prevent excess moisture that can make the cake soggy.
- Room temperature eggs help create a smoother batter and better rise.
- For a dairy-free cake, use vanilla almond milk as suggested.
- If cake flour is unavailable, use all-purpose flour with a cake flour substitution (removing some flour and adding cornstarch) for a lighter texture.
- The glaze consistency can be adjusted by adding more lemon juice to thin it or more powdered sugar to thicken it.
