Back-to-school season is upon us, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. Although I’m sad that summer is coming to an end, I’m also ready to get back to having a daily routine. Last week, I began my senior year of high school, and so far all is well. College applications and AP classes are stressful, no doubt, but they motivate me to work hard. Besides that, I’m also excited for fall. Pumpkin spice, Halloween, and hayrides are just some of the things I’m looking forward to!
Some people have already started eating pumpkin spice treats, but personally I feel like it’s still too early. We’re in that weird time of year where summer’s pretty much over, but fall hasn’t quite started. I still have giant zucchinis, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes left from my garden, so I’m definitely still cooking lots of fresh, summery meals. However, I’m excited to get into all the warm, spicy flavors of fall. That’s where this zucchini cake comes in handy!
Zucchini walnut cake is the perfect dessert for the transition into fall. It’s similar to zucchini bread in that it’ll help you use up leftover summer produce, but it’s flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, making it a little more fall-esque. The flavor is kind of reminiscent of carrot cake, especially with the vegan cinnamon cream cheese icing on top.
For more zucchini baking inspiration, try out these iced chocolate zucchini brownies!
Vegan Zucchini Walnut Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
This vegan zucchini walnut cake is the best way to use up leftover summer produce! Topped with cinnamon cream cheese icing, it's the perfect dessert to transition into fall.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups grated zucchini about 300g
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup refined coconut oil melted
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the Frosting
- 1 package (8 oz) vegan cream cheese such as Kite Hill
- 4 tbsp vegan butter room temperature
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cake
-
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13" by 9" baking pan.
-
Put grated zucchini in a fine mesh strainer and place on top of a bowl to catch the liquid. Sprinkle with salt and set aside to allow excess liquid to drain.
-
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the ground flax and water. Set aside to thicken for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, return to zucchini and use hands to squeeze out remaining excess liquid.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the grated zucchini, flax mixture, sugar, and oil until combined.
-
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
-
Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet, stirring just until incorporated. Gently fold in chopped walnuts.
-
Transfer batter to prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Allow cake to cool in pan while preparing frosting.
For the Frosting
-
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla.
-
Add the powdered sugar and mix, slowly at first and then increasing speed. Beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
-
Spread cream cheese frosting into cooled cake and top with extra walnuts if desired.
-
Slice into 18 pieces and enjoy immediately, or cover and store leftovers in refrigerator.