You will fall in love with this Zucchini Crumb Cake. With its thick, crumble topping and a moist, tender texture is the ultimate comfort treat that’s so good you’ll forget it’s packed with veggies!
This Zucchini Crumb Cake Recipe will soon become your new favorite snack. Finely grated zucchini melts into the batter, adding incredible moisture without overpowering the flavor. Then, the cake is topped with a buttery, golden crumb streusel that adds the right amount of sweetness. Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, zucchini crumb cake is a delicious way to use up fresh zucchini.
For other delicious zucchini recipes you have to check out my Lemon Zucchini Bread, Spicy Zucchini Frittata, Cheesy Zucchini Tots, and Summer Corn and Zucchini Chowder.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Zucchini Cake
- Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or casual weekends at home.
- Sweet but not overly sugary, making it enjoyable any time of day.
- Kids love the flavor and don’t even realize there’s zucchini in it.
Recipe Ingredients
Zucchini – Adds moisture and lightness to the cake along with vitamins A, C and potassium.
Cinnamon – Essential for the crumb topping and used in both the cake and topping layers.
Pumpkin Pie Spice – Deepens the cake’s spiced profile, giving it a distinct, autumn-like feel.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Switch Out the Walnuts – Use almonds, pecans, granola, or oats instead for a different texture and flavor, or leave the nuts out entirely.
Add Dried Fruit – Mix in dried cranberries or raisins to the cake batter for a sweet, chewy addition.
Drizzle Frosting – For extra sweetness, drizzle melted vanilla or cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake while it’s still warm.
How to Make Zucchini Crumb Cake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Step 2: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl (with a hand mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sour cream, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the shredded zucchini and gently mix in. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Step 4: Spread batter into prepared pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small mixing bowl. When large crumbs form, sprinkle over the cake batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes before cutting or removing.
Expert Tips
Grate Zucchini Finely – Use a box grater with a fine side to grate the zucchini. This helps it blend well into the batter, creating a smooth texture and adding moisture.
Pat Dry Zucchini – After shredding, pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel to eliminate extra moisture, which helps maintain the cake’s structure.
Chill Crumb Topping – Refrigerate the crumb topping for 10-15 minutes before adding to the batter. This keeps the topping chunky during baking.
FAQs
Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is perfectly baked.
Yes, divide the batter into a muffin tin and follow the recipe as is, but bake for a shorter time. Check the muffins periodically for doneness to avoid overbaking.
Storage Information
STORE leftover cake at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2-5 days. To FREEZE, place it unwrapped in the freezer for an hour until solid, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It will stay good for up to 4 months.
When ready to eat, thaw it on the counter at room temperature.
Zucchini Crumb Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter - melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup zucchini - shredded
For the Crumb Topping
- 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cake flour - OR all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter - melted
- 1/3 cup walnuts - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Spray a 9×9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl (with a hand mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sour cream, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the shredded zucchini and gently mix in. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small mixing bowl. When large crumbs form, sprinkle over the cake batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes before cutting or removing.
This soft and moist crumb cake is so delicious and loaded with flavors from the zucchini! LOVE this recipe.
I love it when you can get extra veggies into a delicious recipe!
This cake was so moist and tender. The crumb topping is the best part!
Crumb topping makes every muffin better!
Could be a little sweeter, and a tad more moisture. I saved and will probably add a half cup of unsweetened applesauce next time. Do tasty though!
Thanks for sharing what you did. I’m glad you found them tasty!
We love this cake! Â It is a go to recipe when the zucchini is bountiful. Â Yum.
hey girl these looks so tasty!