Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake
Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake is incredibly moist and bursting with delicious flavor. It’s finished with a light lemon icing for an extra touch of citrus. You can easily cut it into snack-size pieces. Best of all, you can enjoy this snack cake any time of the year. We added only fresh lemon and zucchini, ensuring this little dessert is packed with delicious flavor and vitamins. Ideal to serve with morning coffee, or add them to lunch boxes as a healthy snack.
Tell Me About This Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake
We crave something sweet from time to time. And a snack cake is small enough to satisfy our sweet tooth. This snack cake is original, and it’s exactly what we would expect from a childhood memory of a snack cake.
It has a soft, moist texture along with a lovely fall flavor. Additionally, the color of this zucchini lemon snack cake is not the typical yellow or white of a cake, as one might expect.
Instead, the cake itself has a “fall-butterscotch” color, and I think that is due to the coconut sugar I used in this recipe. Nevertheless, it is Delicious! With a lovely undertone of lemon, and of course, 2 cups of zucchini (which is completely hidden), this snack cake is exceptional!
It’s made in one bowl and bakes in 25 minutes! We love that! And then it is topped with a lemon icing. Delish!
And, if you prefer, you can leave the icing out, but this snack cake is even better with it added. Trust me on this one.
We love healthier treats, and especially ones loaded with vegetables. They offer fiber and vitamins to these treats, making them better than ones usually loaded with too much sugar, or worse, preservatives and food coloring.
Regardless, this zucchini lemon snack cake turned out fantastic! It’s moist, flavorful, and just the perfect size. Everyone will LOVE this snack cake recipe. And you will too!
If you love healthier snacks, then don’t miss our favorite chocolate zucchini brownies, and lemon zucchini poppy seed muffins. And, our all-time favorite cinnamon sweet potato muffins, where the sweet potato is the secret ingredient. These treats are fabulous!
Some Baking Notes & Tips!
*Before you begin, it’s best to prepare the zucchini. First, peel the skin off and cut off the ends. Then use a food processor to easily mince the zucchini. You will need to measure 2 cups, packed. This will help save time, rather than shredding it, which takes longer.
*When mixing the batter, you will notice that the zucchini will add moisture to the mix. When you add the zucchini, wait about 3 to 5 minutes, then stir the mixture again.
*Don’t forget to prepare your baking pan, spray it with an olive oil cooking spray, and coat the bottom and all 4 sides with flour.
*When you transfer the batter to your prepared sheet pan, it will give you a very thin layer. No worries, when baked, it will rise enough to give it the “snack cake” appearance.
*The cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean, and when you lightly press down and it springs back up.
*Also, we prefer to use Swan Cake Flour, or Caputo’s “00” Flour. The reason is that these flours are much lighter and softer. They have been sifted several times, creating a much lighter and moister texture in the cake.
* Best to allow the cake to cool completely before adding the icing, and especially when cutting into snack sizes. If the cake is still too warm, it may fall apart when you cut into it.
Best part about this snack cake? It’s loaded with zucchini – so don’t tell anyone. Let’s keep it a secret. Topped with a lemon icing – what could be better?!
Ingredients You Will Need for our Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake:
For this zucchini lemon snack cake, you will need a few staple ingredients from your local market.
- Olive oil
- Granulated sugar
- Coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice and the zest of one lemon
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unbleached, all-purpose flour (we prefer Swan Cake Flour or Caputo 00 flour)
- Fresh zucchini (about 2 or 3 small zucchini, or one large one)
- Plain Greek yogurt (or apple sauce)
- For Lemon Icing:
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice
How to Make Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake?
This is a straightforward recipe for making this zucchini lemon snack cake. You will need only one mixing bowl, a whisk or a wooden spoon for mixing, and a small food chopper or processor to mince the zucchini.
Plus, you will also need a baking sheet pan, either 9×12 or 9×13. Then, when all the ingredients are combined, the batter is poured into the prepared sheet pan and baked for 25 minutes. Our full recipe card with instructions is located at the bottom.
As you can see, we tried our best to pile these slices of snack cake on top of one another, but they because they are so moist, they kept falling over. Regardless, this little snack cake is a winner! …Try it, you won’t be disappointed!
Storing and Freezing
- This zucchini lemon snack cake will store best if kept in the fridge, and for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long).
- You can freeze this cake before adding the lemon icing.
- If you freeze it with the icing, there’s a chance it will crumble and fall off when thawed. This cake will freeze well for up to 1 month. Then thaw, and add the icing before serving.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
- Fresh Strawberry Snack Cake Recipe
- Fabulously Easy Carrot Cake
- Easiest Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Best Banana Sheet Cake
- Bakery-Style Lemon Raspberry Cake
Don’t forget! Tried our Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake Recipe? Let us know and leave a comment with a star 5-⭐ rating on the recipe card! Your insights and experiences will not only help our readers but will help us too! Thank you for your support.
Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake
This Zucchini Lemon Snack Cake is incredibly moist and bursting with delicious flavor. It's finished with a light lemon icing for an extra touch of citrus. Best of all, it’s quick to make in just one bowl and bakes in 25 minutes. A healthier snack that's ideal to satisfy your sweet tooth, and toss them into your kids' lunch boxes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (109 grams) olive oil
- 1 cup (180 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (50 grams) (or brown sugar)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (76.6 grams)
- zest of one lemon
- 1 + 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups (240 grams) unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (350 grams) packed zucchini - minced (about 2 or 3 small zucchini)
- 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt (or apple sauce)
For Lemon Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 small lemon - juiced and extra as needed
Instructions
- Preheat OVEN to Bake at 350 degrees F (180 °C). Rearrange your oven racks so that one is in the center of the oven. Then spray with cooking spray on the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch (or 12 x 9) baking pan, and dust with flour evenly. Set the pan aside.
- Prep the Zucchini: Cut off the ends, and use a vegetable peeler to peel of the skin of the zucchini. Chop into chunks and place some into your mini chopper or food processor. Pulse until the zucchini is finely minced. Measure 2 cups "packed" and transfer into a small bowl. Set it nearby.
- Make the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, use a large wooden spoon or a whisk to blend olive oil, sugars, vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, baking soda, and salt. The mixture will be very wet. Add in the flour gradually, 1 cup at a time, and with a large wooden spoon. Continue to blend until the flour is absorbed completely into the mixture.
- Next, Add the Zucchini: Add the 2 cups of zucchiniand blend once again. Then add the yogurt. The mixture will continue to seem dry and very lumpy. Blend until well incorporated. Set it aside for a few minutes, at least 5 minutes, and let the zucchini do its magic!
- After 5 minutes, stir to blend again, and the mixture should be moist now. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula, then blend again.
- Pour the Batter into the Prepared Pan. Use the back of a spatula or a wooden spoon to help you smooth the batter evenly into the pan. The batter will give you a thin layer, and that's ok.
- BAKE for 25 to 28minutes, until when lightly touched in the center of the sheet cake it should spring back, or check with a toothpick inserted in the center and it comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan, and on your counter or a wire rack before adding the lemon icing and cutting.
- For The Lemon Icing: In a small mixing bowl, stir with a spoon 2 cups of powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice until smooth and creamy. When the zucchini lemon snack cake is completely cooled, you can drizzle the icing on top and cover the entire surface. Cut into snack cake sizes and serve. Serves 12
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- This zucchini lemon snack cake will store best if kept in the fridge, and for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long).
- You can freeze this cake before adding the lemon icing.
- If you freeze it with the icing, there's a chance it will crumble and fall off when thawed. This cake will freeze well for up to 1 month. Then thaw, and add the icing before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 servings Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 4.2gSaturated Fat: .6gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 1.5gSugar: 20gProtein: 2.2g
Happy and Healthy Baking! 🙂
xo anna and liz
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