Description
Zesty lemon zucchini cake dazzles with its creamy cream cheese center, blending garden-fresh produce and tangy citrus. Delightful slices promise a moist, refreshing escape that celebrates summer’s most beloved garden bounty.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Cake Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 grams) grated zucchini
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) powdered sugar
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350F and prepare a 9-inch round cake pan with grease and flour to ensure smooth cake release.
- Sift together dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate mixing vessel.
- Using an electric mixer, whip butter and sugars until achieving a light, airy consistency. Incorporate eggs individually, then integrate lemon juice and zest for vibrant citrus notes.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain cake’s tender texture. Carefully fold grated zucchini throughout batter, avoiding overmixing.
- Create cream cheese filling by blending cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until achieving a silky, uniform texture.
- Transfer half the cake batter into prepared pan. Strategically place dollops of cream cheese filling across initial batter layer, then carefully cover with remaining cake batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick emerges clean when inserted into cake’s center. Allow cake to rest in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
- Finish by delicately dusting cake’s surface with powdered sugar, presenting an elegant, refined presentation.
Notes
- Grate zucchini carefully to ensure moisture without excess water, which could make the cake soggy.
- Squeeze out extra liquid from grated zucchini using a clean kitchen towel to maintain cake’s perfect texture.
- For a gluten-free version, replace all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to accommodate dietary needs.
- Transform this dessert into muffins by adjusting baking time to 20-25 minutes and using a muffin tin for individual servings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 232 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 142 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg