Quick Zucchini Cake with Boxed Cake Mix

Let’s be honest – finding ways to use up all those garden zucchini during summer can feel like a never-ending challenge. Between leaving them on neighbors’ doorsteps and trying to sneak them into every dinner, we’ve all been there. And while zucchini bread is always a classic choice, sometimes you want something a little more special without spending hours in the kitchen.

That’s where this zucchini cake with boxed cake mix comes in: it’s quick and easy, tastes just like a homemade cake, and uses up those extra zucchini hiding in your crisper drawer. Plus, it’s a great way to add some sneaky vegetables into a treat that kids will actually love.

What Kind of Zucchini Should I Use?

When it comes to baking with zucchini, medium-sized ones are your best bet – they’re typically 6-8 inches long and not too wide. The really large, garden-grown zucchini can be a bit too watery and seedy for baking, so try to avoid those giants you might find at the end of summer. Before shredding your zucchini, there’s no need to peel it – the skin is tender and adds nice little green flecks to your cake. If your shredded zucchini seems extra watery, you can give it a gentle squeeze with paper towels, but don’t squeeze too hard since that moisture helps keep your cake nice and moist.

Options for Substitutions

This zucchini cake is pretty forgiving when it comes to substitutions. Here are some helpful swaps you can try:

• Yellow cake mix: Any brand of yellow cake mix works fine here. You can also use white cake mix or even spice cake mix (if using spice cake, reduce the added spices by half).
• Milk: Feel free to swap in any non-dairy milk like almond, soy, or oat milk. You can even use buttermilk for a slightly tangier taste.
• Walnuts: Not a fan of walnuts? Pecans work great, or try chopped almonds. You can skip the nuts altogether if you have allergies.
• Zucchini: Yellow summer squash works just as well as zucchini. Just make sure to drain excess moisture from either vegetable before adding to the batter.
• Cream cheese frosting ingredients: For the frosting, you can use mascarpone instead of cream cheese. If you’re dairy-free, try dairy-free cream cheese alternatives – just note the frosting might be slightly less firm.
• Spices: Don’t have all three spices? Pumpkin pie spice makes a great substitute – use about 2 1/2 teaspoons total in the cake batter.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when baking with zucchini is excess moisture – make sure to lightly squeeze the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel to remove extra water, or your cake might end up too wet and dense. Another common mistake is overmixing the batter once you’ve added the zucchini; fold it in gently just until combined to keep your cake light and fluffy. For the cream cheese frosting, a frequent error is spreading it while the cake is still warm, which will cause it to melt and become runny – always let your cake cool completely (at least 1-2 hours) before frosting. To make your cake even better, bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before making the frosting, and consider toasting the walnuts for 5-7 minutes in a dry pan to bring out their nutty flavor.

What to Serve With Zucchini Cake?

This moist zucchini cake is perfect for afternoon tea or as a dessert, and there are several tasty ways to serve it! A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side adds a nice temperature contrast and makes the cake feel more dessert-like. For a morning or afternoon treat, pair it with a hot cup of coffee or tea – I especially love it with chai tea since it complements the warm spices in the cake. If you’re serving this at a brunch, it goes really well with fresh fruit on the side, particularly berries or sliced peaches that add a bright, fresh element to balance the cake’s richness.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Since this zucchini cake has cream cheese frosting, it needs to be kept in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container and it’ll stay good for up to 5 days. The cake actually gets even better after a day as the flavors have time to meld together!

Freeze: You can freeze this cake either frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. If freezing the whole cake, place it in the freezer until the frosting is firm, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. For individual slices, wrap them separately – this way you can thaw just what you need.

Serve: When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cake, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes – this brings the frosting back to its creamy consistency and makes the cake taste fresh-baked!

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	35-40 minutes
Total Time	50-60 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3200
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (pat dry to remove excess water)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, adds a nice crunch)
• 3 eggs
• 1 box yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon

For the frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 1/4 cup butter (room temperature, I like Kerrygold for this)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure extract for best flavor)

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Pan and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Spray the bottom only of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray to prevent the cake from sticking.

Proper preparation here makes for easy removal and clean slicing later on!

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

• 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.

Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.

Gently fold in the shredded zucchini and chopped walnuts, mixing just until everything is evenly distributed throughout the batter.

I like to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times to make sure there are no pockets of dry mix left.

Step 3: Bake the Cake

Pour the prepared batter into the sprayed pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.

Allow it to cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour before adding any frosting.

If you want extra moistness, you can loosely cover the cake while it cools.

Step 4: Frost the Cooled Cake

Once the cake has cooled, you can frost it and cut it.

Spread your prepared frosting evenly over the entire surface of the cake.

For a little extra flavor, I sometimes dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon before serving.

Cut the cake into 12 pieces (4 rows by 3 rows) for serving.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers to keep them fresh.