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cream cheese frosted sheet cake on a pink plate
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Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
38 mins
Total Time
1 hr 23 mins
 
This Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist zucchini cake with pecans and cinnamon spice. It’s light and fluffy, and it pairs perfectly with the tangy cream cheese frosting.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Zucchini Sheet Cake
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Michelle
Ingredients
Zucchini Cake
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 1/2 cup half & half
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

  2. Spread pecans or walnuts on the baking sheet in an even layer, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Allow to cool before chopping into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Cake:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk canola oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until combined.
  2. Add in the eggs, whisking well after each addition.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk half & half, sour cream, and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
  4. Next, in a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.
  5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the oil mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix after each addition.
  6. Lastly, add in the shredded zucchini and 1 cup of toasted, chopped nuts. Gently mix until combined.
  7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish, and spread into an even layer.
  8. Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before adding cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  1. With a hand mixer or standing mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together until they are light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
  2. Next, add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  3. Lastly, add in the powdered sugar, beginning with 2 1/2 cups. If the frosting seems too thin, add in the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
  4. If desired, add in a pinch of salt. (Salt helps offset the sweetness of the frosting.)
  5. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of toased nuts on top of the frosting.
  6. Cut and serve, and store leftovers in the fridge.