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Sweet fragrant coconut, crunchy pecans, caramely brown sugar and wholesome zucchini and buttermilk combine for the most deliciously addictive summer dessert. Topped with cream cheese frosting that's enhanced with a touch of brown sugar - no one will notice (or care) that this cake is gluten free.
I made this so many times this summer! My excuse, of course, was that I needed to get the texture just right. But did anyone in this household complain when I made it for the 7th time? Not one groan or grumble. We chalked it up to "science" as we ate more slices of zucchini cake dripping with luscious cream cheese frosting and licked our fingers.
But this isn't the only zucchini recipe I've got. If you suffer from garden zucchini desperation like I do, you need to be creative. Try my gluten free zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini muffins, or my low carb zucchini lasagna.
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Notes from Kristie's Kitchen
- Feeds: 12 dainty slices, or 9 generous slices (you may want to lean on the generous side - trust me)
- Prep time/ actual time spent in the kitchen: you will spend less than 30 minutes in the kitchen. This is not including the resting time and the baking/cooling time, since you can be doing other things then. But you can have cake from start to finish in about an hour and a half.
- Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
- The buttermilk is intentional, not an afterthought. It contains 9 grams of protein per cup! Adding extra protein to gluten free baked goods contributes to a moist, fluffy, tender outcome.
- I made this gluten-free zucchini cake out of desperation - you know, zucchini coming out of your garden so fast you can barely keep up? But this zucchini cake makes me glad I grow zucchini ( even in the height of zucchini season 😅)
What's in this Zucchini Cake
Here are the things you need to make this amazing cake. Scroll down to the recipe card for my complete recipe, instructions, and notes.
- Eggs- I like to use large eggs in my recipes
- Buttermilk - high in protein, which gives structure to gluten free baked goods
- brown sugar - sweet and caramely
- Vanilla - I made this when I was out of vanilla and it was still delicious. But I recommend adding the vanilla
- Zucchini - green or yellow, either are fine
- gluten free flour blend - use one that contains xanthan gum and baking powder, such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour
- coconut flour - don't leave this out. It's so sweet, and so fragrant!
- baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon - yes you do need to add extra baking powder even if your flour blend contains it.
- grated coconut, unsweetened - if you have sweetened that is fine, but I prefer the unsweetened type. Just trying to cut down on sugar where I can.
- Pecans - I used raw unsalted pecans, but if you have the salted kind that will still be fine.
My Favorite Gluten Free Flours
1 to 1 Baking Flour (Bob's Red Mill)
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Buy Now → What to Look for When Buying Gluten Free Flour
Different types of flour combos work for different gluten free recipes, and some types just don't work for certain things. This zucchini cake was tested multiple times with different flours, and the combo of coconut flour and all-in-one baking flour was the winning combo.
What do I mean by all-in-one flour?
Look for an all purpose flour blend that contains some starches, like tapioca starch, cornstarch or potato starch. It should also contain some gluten free flours like sorghum, millet, or sweet rice flour. White rice flour or brown rice flour is typical in blends of flours and are great.
It should be the type of flour blend that does have added baking powder and xanthan gum. Some flour blends have it, some don't. Usually when they say "complete baking flour" or "all-in-one flour" that means it has those added extra ingredients.
If you are a DIY kind of person, I have recipes for all-in-one flour blend, brown rice flour blend (which has no added xanthan or baking powder), and biscuit mix. These can be found in my free ebook, Gluten Free Baking for Beginners. Sign up to get it here
Let's Get Cooking
Once you try this recipe, you'll probably want to make it again (especially if you have zucchini in your garden!). Just open up this blog post and let these step by step photos be your guide while you bake along with me.
I do this myself. Yes, even though they are my own recipes. Seeing the pictures really helps speed things along!
Step 1. Add eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla to your mixer. I prefer my stand mixer, but a hand mixer will be just fine, too. Blend until the eggs are all broken up and the sugar is incorporated.
Step 2. Add the grated zucchini and blend to combine.
Step 3. In a separate bowl stir together the gluten-free flour blend, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Step 4. Add the coconut and pecans and toss to coat. Combining them with the flour helps them distribute evenly throughout the cake instead of all sinking to the bottom.
Step 5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer. Blend on low speed until all the dry flour is mixed in, then turn up the speed to medium and beat for 2 full minutes. This will hydrate the gluten free floors, giving you a moist cake with a fluffy texture.
Step 6. Butter a 9 by 9 baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375℉. I like to wait to preheat the oven until after the batter is all mixed, so it can rest while we wait for the oven to come to temperature. The gluten-free flours need time to absorb the liquids and get fully hydrated before baking.
Step 7. Spread the cake batter into the pan, cover, and let rest while the oven preheats. You can also wait to bake this batter for about an hour or so if you chill it in the fridge. Let those flours really soak up the liquids!
Step 8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched lightly in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 9. Let the cake cool completely before frosting and slicing. Cooling is another important step to get best results - if you cut into it while it's still hot, the texture might will be gummy.
Mix up the frosting following the recipe in the recipe card. Spread onto the cooled cake. Slice it up and serve.
Freezer Alert! This is a Freezer Friendly Recipe
Baking several cakes and storing them in the freezer is a perfect solution for when you have lots of zucchini. And your future fall and winter self will thank you again and again.
I baked a lot of zucchini bread and chocolate zucchini muffins last year, and it was always a welcome treat when I first: remembered that they were there, and second: served them with comforting soup when it was cold outside for a simple, made-from-scratch meal.
Here's how you do it:
- Wrap the cooled cake (unfrosted is ideal) in plastic wrap or foil.
- Then place that inside a freezer bag. The extra insulation protects the freshness better. You can also wrap it in a second layer of foil if you don't have any freezer bags. Just make sure it is sealed really well - if the foil tears it might expose the cake and get freezer burn (which will ruin the flavor).
- Label it so you remember what's in there, and store it in the fridge for 3 months. You can stretch that to about 5 months (I always do), but after that the cake might get a more dry and crumbly texture.
Gluten Free Zucchini Cake with Coconut and Pecans
Sweet fragrant coconut, crunchy pecans, caramely brown sugar and wholesome zucchini and buttermilk combine for the most deliciously addictive summer dessert. Topped with cream cheese frosting that's enhanced with a touch of brown sugar - no one will notice (or care) that this is a gluten-free cake.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 12 small slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup finely shredded zucchini
- 1 ¼ cup (200 gm) gluten free flour blend, *see Notes
- ¼ cup (30 gm) coconut flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup grated coconut, unsweetened
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
Frosting ingredients:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or maple sugar
- Dash of salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
Cake instructions:
- To a mixer add eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Add the grated zucchini and blend to combine.
- In a separate bowl stir together the gluten free flour blend, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the coconut and pecans and toss to coat.
- Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture in the mixer. Blend on low speed until all the dry flour is mixed in, then turn up the speed to medium and beat for 2 full minutes. This will hydrate the gluten free floors, giving the cake a moist and fluffy texture.
- Butter a 9 by 9 baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Pour batter into the pan, cover, and let rest while the oven preheats. This resting time is another important step to hydrate the gluten free flours.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched lightly in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting and slicing. Cooling is another important step for gluten free cakes - if you cut into it while it's still hot, the texture might be gummy.
Frosting Instructions:
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and maple sugar or syrup. Cream for 1-2 minutes or until the brown sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is fluffy.
- Add the cream cheese and powdered sugar and blend well.
- Add cream a little at a time until the texture is light and fluffy.
Notes
Grate the zucchini on the short end. You don't want any long strands in your cake!
Be sure to use a gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum and baking powder. Even though we include a little extra baking powder in the recipe - this cake needs it.
Please note that the nutrition label is for the unfrosted cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 293
- Sugar: 32.7 g
- Sodium: 210.7 mg
- Fat: 10.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.8 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
Bonus Tip 👇
How you grate the zucchini matters. To save time I use a food processor with a fine grating wheel. But use a hand held grater if that's what you have. Use the side with smaller holes, not the biggest holes. But don't use the super fine holes, that's for zesting citrus peel and that kind of stuff.
Use the short end of the zucchini for short, small shreds. Don't use the long side of zucchini - you don't want long strands of it in your cake!
Meal Ideas to Help you Plan
Need some ideas for serving up zucchini cake to its best advantage? Maybe these can help:
Ultimate chicken sandwich + potato salad + watermelon + zucchini cake = best BBQ menu
Roasted ham + jalapeno popper casserole + gluten free granola + zucchini cake = yummy brunch menu
Zucchini cake + pumpkin chocolate chip cookies + cupcakes topped with maple cinnamon whipped cream = perfect dessert tray for an autumn party
More Garden Bounty Recipes
Roundup! 🤠🐎
Did you know this recipe is part of my Best Gluten Free Baked Goods roundup? Come by to see all the delicious recipes - you might find some new favorites!
Recipe creator: Kristie Winget, who loves gardening, especially growing heirloom tomatoes. Here's a little more about me.
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