Lemon Zucchini Cake is light, delicious and loaded with bright, lemony flavor. Enjoy it with a cup of tea for breakfast or snacktime – or both!
When we moved into our new house in March, I became a tad bit obsessed with planning the landscaping. I think we called over 15 landscape designers and met with no less than six.
Can we talk a little about landscaping companies for a sec? There are a gazillion of them in our area and we called pretty much every single one that left their card or flyer in our mailbox. And hardly any of them called us back. Who goes through all that work and doesn’t bother to return phone calls? Do they not want to work? I’m very perplexed by this business model.
This has been the case with so many different contractors – from landscapers to concrete companies – I feel like I have to chase them down waving hundred dollar bills while begging them to take our money. Needless to say we have no concrete or landscaping.
Clearly I was naive to think that we’d have a lush lawn and flower beds peppered with mums by this time of year. Nope, we’ve got dirt and weeds peppered with poison sumac. Turns out, poison sumac is pretty much the worst – at least that’s what my aunt tells me after she got it while helping me pull said weeds. Let’s just say that stuff can end up in some not so amazing placing. Ahem.
I long for a little garden so I can teach Elle how to plant seeds, water them and then inevitably kill them. What I’m sayin’ is that I can’t keep plants alive. I’ve been known to kill mint and rosemary. And that, friends, take a special kind of talent. But I can always hope.
Plus, my mom seems to plop plants into dirt, sorta takes care of them, and she’s left with gorgeous tomatoes, (too bad I hate them) pretty peppers, and more zucchini than anyone can eat in a season.
And where does that zucchini end up? On my kitchen counter.
Since I’m the only zucchini eater in my little family, I decided to bake it into ALLTHEDESSERTS. When you grate it super fine, it’s hardly detectable in chocolate desserts. And when Eric asked about the little green flecks in this lovely lemon cake, I assured him it was lime zest. Just kidding. Not really.
This lemon zucchini cake is loaded with flavor. A sweet and tangy lemon glaze takes it over the top, into mouth-puckering territory, which I personally love. It’s perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee, or an afternoon snack with a glass of freshly brewed iced tea.
Share it with friends, share it with co-workers, or eat the whole darn thing yourself. Which I absolutely would have done if my dad hadn’t offered to take it off my hands and feed it to his co-workers. Thank goodness. Because this is one irresistible cake. I hope you think so too.
So, know any good landscapers in the Cleveland area?
Looking for more zucchini recipes? Be sure to check out these delicious Zucchini Cookies and this Spiced Zucchini Cake.

Lemon Zucchini Cake
Lemon Zucchini Cake is light, delicious and loaded with bright, lemony flavor. Enjoy it with a cup of tea for breakfast or snacktime – or both!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 2 large lemons
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups finely grated zucchini
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar; sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a bundt pan or 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest until the sugar is moistened and the zest is thoroughly incorporated.
- Add in vegetable oil, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the zucchini.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake a bundt cake for 45-50 minutes and a 9x13-inch cake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing together the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and drizzle over cooled cake. Glaze will harden slightly.
Leo
Wednesday 16th of February 2022
Loved it- I swapped out the cup of oil for a cup of unsweetened applesauce to make it lower calorie. Not sure what the original texture of the cake would be like but my version with the applesauce was slightly gummy. Still delicious! The fresh lemon in the glaze is a must
Jamie
Monday 21st of February 2022
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Leo! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback! -Jamie
Diana Fillmore
Friday 27th of August 2021
Delicious! Everyone loved this recipe. I made it as cupcakes and used a cream cheese frosting instead of glaze.
Jamie
Thursday 23rd of September 2021
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Diana! Thanks for leaving your feedback. -Jamie
Natalia Budynek
Tuesday 20th of July 2021
That is amazing cake. I Just tried it and I love it. Thank you
Jamie
Wednesday 21st of July 2021
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Natalia! Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! -Jamie
Kelly
Friday 11th of September 2020
This is delicious! I’ve made it several times this summer. I’ve just been gifted two more huge zucchini. I plan on making the cake in loaf pans. Can I freeze the cake?
Jamie
Sunday 13th of September 2020
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Kelly! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback! Yes, you should be able to freeze this cake, either whole or cut into slices. Just make sure to wrap it tightly before putting it in a freezer bag. Hope this helps! -Jamie
E. White
Tuesday 18th of August 2020
Hi Jamie I wanted to know if you have to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini before mixing it with all the other ingredients. Thanks so much
E. White
Jamie
Wednesday 19th of August 2020
Hello! I do not wring out the zucchini before adding it to the cake. Hope this helps! Happy baking. Jamie