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Zucchini Carrot Cake

Zucchini Carrot Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup finely shredded zucchini (lightly squeezed if very wet)
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrot
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of fine sea salt

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x5‑inch loaf pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.
  3. Fold shredded zucchini and carrot into the wet mixture, then stir in the dry ingredients just until no flour streaks remain.
  4. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  5. While the cake cools, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt until fluffy. Spread frosting over the completely cooled loaf and slice to serve.

Notes

The loaf must cool entirely before frosting or the cream cheese will melt. If you plan to frost it later, wrap the unfrosted cake in plastic once cool and frost within a day. The cake tastes even better the next day as the spices meld.