Lemon Zucchini Cake

4.34 from 9 votes

Celebrate bright spring flavors with a delicious Lemon Zucchini Cake! Perfect any time of year, this lightly sweet dessert is a lemony treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon zucchini cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 1 30

Total Time 2 10

Servings slices

Calories 568kcal

Author Aubrey

Equipment

Ingredients

Lemon Zucchini Cake

1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
4 large eggs
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix (1 box)
1 cup finely grated zucchini packed, with its water

Lemon Butter Cream

4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
Thin lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed for 1 minute.
Pour in the cake mix and fold into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold in the grated zucchini until evenly mixed. Divided the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then run a knife around the edge and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

Frosting

Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl. Beat together until smooth. Continue adding the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Set aside.

Assembly

If needed, level the tops of the cakes. Place 1 cake layer, bottom side down, onto a cake stand or platter. Spread about 1/3 of the frosting over the top of the cake in an even layer with an offset spatula.
Place the second cake, bottom side up, over the first layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake so they are coated. I like to reserved about 1/2 cup of frosting to pipe rosettes on top of the cake. Then, garnish the top with twisted lemon slices, if desired.

Notes

The frosting recipe makes enough to completely coat the top and sides. If you want rosettes on top (as shown) the sides will get a thinner coat and have a lightly "naked" cake or "crumb coat" look, which I actually love.

Nutrition