A light yet rich zucchini cream cheese pound cake with fluffy cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 19x5 inch loaf
Author katiebirdbakes.com
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonground cinnamon
Pinchnutmeg
4ouncescream cheesesoftened to room temperature
3/4cupgranulated sugar
1large egg
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1/2cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2cupsshredded zucchini*
For the cream cheese frosting:
4ouncescream cheesecold
1/4cup(1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1cuppowdered sugar
1/2teaspoonvanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Pinchof salt
Instructions
For the cake:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar together on medium speed until fully incorporated. Increase speed to high and cream the mixture for about a minute - it should turn light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated. Turn the speed to low and slowly stream in the melted butter (make sure the butter is not super hot or it will cook the egg!). Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very smooth.
Add the flour mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the zucchini using a spatula or spoon, until well incorporated.
Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-48 minutes, until your kitchen smells amazing and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting:
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter at high speed until pale and very fluffy - this should take 2-3 minutes. You want to incorporate as much air as possible into the mixture to make it light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat at medium to high speed until fully combined and light.
Spread cooled cake with cream cheese frosting. Top with pecans or walnuts if desired. Serve!
Notes
*I use the grating blade of my food processor to shred the zucchini. To ensure your cake does not turn out soggy, place shredded zucchini in a mesh strainer over a bowl and let drain for 30-45 minutes, then squeeze in paper towels to get out as much moisture as possible.Adapted from the zucchini cream cheese bundt cake in the Joy the Baker Cookbook.Cake keeps well-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.