Spiced Zucchini Snack Cake With Cinnamon Maple Buttercream
Zucchini Spice Snack Cake with Cinnamon Maple Buttercream is soft, moist, and warmly spiced, topped with creamy maple-cinnamon buttercream. Perfect for late summer and fall baking, this easy cake is great for snacking, potlucks, or holiday gatherings.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Vegetable grater and medium bowl for the shredded zucchini
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- 8 inch cake pan or 8x8 square pan
- Stand mixer (or other large bowl with a hand mixer for the buttercream)
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 180 g all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 150 g brown sugar ¾ cup
- 50 g granulated sugar ¼ cup
- 120 ml neutral oil ½ cup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 g grated zucchini packed (1 ½ cups, no need to peel)
- 60 ml whole milk or buttermilk ¼ cup
For the cinnamon maple buttercream:
- 113 g unsalted butter at room temperature (½ cup)
- 180–200 g powdered sugar sifted (1 ½ to 1 ⅔ cups)
- 2 ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 teaspoon heavy cream or milk as needed for texture
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch square or round pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold in zucchini: Stir grated zucchini into the wet mix. Add milk and stir again.
- Combine: Add dry to wet and fold gently until just combined.
- Bake: Spread into pan and bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool & glaze: Cool completely. Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle generously.
- Beat the butter: In a medium bowl, beat the butter on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar: Add sifted powdered sugar in two additions, beating on low to combine, then increasing to medium-high.
- Add maple, vanilla, cinnamon and salt: Pour in the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Beat until creamy and smooth.
- Adjust texture: Add a splash of cream or milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s spreadable and silky.
Notes
- For accurate results, weigh your ingredients!!
- Note: Don’t wring out the zucchini! Its natural moisture keeps the crumb soft and tender, allowing you to skip extra butter or dairy in the batter.
- Storage: Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze frosted or unfrosted cake slices for up to 2 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil; thaw in the refrigerator (to minimize condensation).
Nutrition
Calories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 278mgPotassium: 72mgFiber: 1gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 354IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
