Zucchini Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting: Moist Spice Cupcakes

Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These zucchini cupcakes are the ones I bake when the garden hands me more zucchini than I can keep up with. They come out extra moist with a warm spice cake flavor, and each one gets a generous swirl of cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

If you have been looking for a way to use garden zucchini in a dessert that is not chocolate, this is the recipe to try.

this …

You need about 1 cup of grated zucchini, which is about 1 medium zucchini, and the batch makes 12 cupcakes. The batter comes together with a couple of bowls and a whisk, so no electric mixer is needed. I really, really recommend giving these a go while zucchini is in season.

Why You’ll Love these Zucchini Cupcakes

Zucchini season is a wonderful reason to turn on the oven, and these cupcakes give you a soft, tender bake with real spice cake character. If you usually reach for chocolate zucchini cake, this is a nice change of pace.

Same basic idea, garden zucchini folded into a batter, but the flavor goes in a warmer direction with cinnamon and nutmeg instead of cocoa.

Here is what makes them work so well:

• They are moist spice cake cupcakes with a hint of orange zest that brightens the warm spices.
• They are topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, tangy and lightly spiced.
• They are not overly sweet, but they are genuinely flavorful, so one cupcake feels satisfying.
• The grated zucchini dissolves as the cupcakes bake, so there are no strands left behind.
• The batter mixes up without an electric mixer, which is great for small kitchens and busy weeknights.

If you are new to baking with zucchini, here is the short version. Zucchini adds moisture and gives baked goods a soft texture, and it does all of that without a strong vegetable flavor.

By the time the cupcakes come out of the oven, the zucchini has melted right into the crumb. That is why bakers tuck it into breads, muffins and cakes all summer long.

I really, really recommend these if you like carrot cake or spice cake. The flavor sits right in that family: warm spice, gentle sweetness, and a tangy frosting to balance everything. You are in for a treat.

These are also the kind of cupcakes I bring to potlucks and tuck into lunchboxes, because they hold up well and they are not so sweet that you feel weighed down afterward. Kids tend to like them too, since the zucchini disappears completely.

Making the Cupcakes

This is a two bowl recipe, and once the zucchini is ready it moves quickly. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line a 12 cavity muffin pan with papers. I do mean papers. Greasing the pan instead causes the batter to stick, and nobody wants to wrestle a cupcake out of a tin.

Start with the zucchini. Chop the ends off, then grate it with a cheese grater. Blot the grated zucchini with paper towel to remove excess liquid, but do not wring it dry. A little moisture left in the zucchini is exactly what keeps the crumb soft.

Here is the full ingredient list for the cupcakes.

Now the steps, in order.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and milk until you no longer see lumps of sugar or pieces of egg.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Gently fold the mixture together until almost combined. Aim for about 70 percent combined before you add the zucchini.
4. Add the blotted zucchini and gently stir until you no longer see streaks or lumps of dry ingredients. The zucchini releases extra moisture as it goes in, which helps the batter come together.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. You should end up with about 12 cupcakes. If you only get 10, the liners were filled too full.
6. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops look just set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

The finished batter should look thick but scoopable, with small flecks of green zucchini running through it. If it seems stiff, give it one more gentle stir rather than adding liquid, since the zucchini keeps releasing moisture as it sits.

The spice blend is what gives these cupcakes their character. Cinnamon brings the warmth, and a small amount of nutmeg adds depth without taking over. Together with the orange zest, they make the cupcakes taste like something from a bakery rather than a quick boxed mix.

A few notes I have learned the hard way. The orange zest might seem like a small thing, but it brightens the spices and makes every bite taste a little more special, so please do not skip it. Mix gently, too.

Once the flour goes in, overworking the batter can make the cupcakes a touch tough, and gentle folding keeps that soft, tender crumb.

Fill the liners about 3/4 full and bake one tray at a time in the middle of the oven for the most even rise.

On timing, plan for about 45 minutes of prep, 25 minutes of baking, and around 30 minutes of cooling before you frost. That is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes from start to frosted cupcakes, and most of that time is hands off.

One cupcake with frosting comes in around 418 calories, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 23 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein and 38 grams of sugar, based on the source nutrition estimate and assuming all of the frosting is used.

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

The frosting is a tangy cream cheese frosting with a little cinnamon worked in, and that cinnamon pairs beautifully with the spice in the cupcakes. If you prefer, you can leave the cinnamon out and you will have a plain cream cheese frosting that is just as lovely.

Here is what you need.

Then it is just a matter of beating everything together.

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
2. Add the cream cheese, cut into chunks, and beat it into the butter until just combined.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, along with the cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Beat starting on low speed and gradually increase to medium until combined.
4. Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the sweetness you like. If the frosting needs it, beat in 1 tablespoon of cream.
5. Make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled, then frost with a piping bag or a flat edge knife. I use a piping bag with a 1M tip. If you frost with a knife, you will likely have some frosting left over.

Three frosting details matter more than anything else.

• Use butter and cream cheese that are slightly softened but still firm to the touch. They should give when you press them, not slide around or start to melt.
• Use full fat, brick style cream cheese. Tub, low fat, low calorie, whipped or spreadable versions are too thin and the frosting will not hold its shape.
• Sift the powdered sugar before it goes in. Lumps are very hard to remove later, and overmixing to chase them out makes the frosting thin.

The frosting makes enough for a generous swirl on all 12 cupcakes, so there is no need to skimp on the topping.

For storage, unfrosted cupcakes keep at room temperature in an airtight container overnight. Frosted cupcakes can sit covered at room temperature for up to 8 hours, and leftovers should go covered into the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

The cupcakes come out moist and tender with a spice cake flavor and that tangy cream cheese frosting on top, and they are a lovely way to use up garden zucchini. If you want to keep baking, zucchini chocolate chip muffins, zucchini banana bread and zucchini spice cake are all good next steps.

Recipe adapted from Just So Tasty.

FAQs

Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting These zucchini cupcakes are the ones I bake when the garden hands me more zucchini than I can keep up with. They come out extra moist with a warm spice cake flavor, and each one gets a generous swirl of cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

• Total Time: 100 min
• Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Zucchini Cupcakes
1 cup grated zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (188 grams)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil, (80 ml), or canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar, (100 grams)
1/2 cup brown sugar, (105 grams), light or dark
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/3 cup milk, (80 ml), room temperature

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup unsalted butter, (170 grams), softened but still firm to the touch
4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, (112 grams), be sure to use brick style cream cheese
2 – 3 cups powdered sugar, (220 – 300 grams)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, more or less, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream, (15 ml), or whipping cream, if needed

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Zucchini Cupcakes
1-Preheat the oven to 350F (180C): Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with papers.
2-Chop the ends off of the zucchini: Chop the ends off of the zucchini. Grate using a cheese grater. Then blot with paper towel.
3-In a large bowl, whisk together the: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4-In a separate bowl, whisk together the: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, orange zest, vanilla and milk until you no longer see lumps of sugar or pieces of egg.
5-Make a well in the dry ingredients: Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the mixture together until almost combined
6-Add in the blotted zucchini and gently: Add in the blotted zucchini and gently stir together until you no longer see streaks or lumps of dry ingredients.
7-Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake: Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. You should end up with about 12 cupcakes.
8-Bake in the middle of the preheated: Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the tops look just set and an inserted toothpick comes or clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting
9-In a large bowl, beat the butter: In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
10-Add in the cream cheese (cut into: Add in the cream cheese (cut into chunks) and beat into the butter until just combined.
11-Add in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar: Add in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (sift the sugar if needed), along with the cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Beat together starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing to medium speed until combined.
12-Beat in the rest of the powdered: Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached. If needed, beat in 1 tablespoon of cream
13-Ensure the cupcakes are fully cooled: Ensure the cupcakes are fully cooled. Then frost with a piping bag or flat edge knife. I used a piping bag with a 1M tip. If using a knife, you will likely have some leftover frosting.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 418kcal
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 194mg
• Fat: 23g
• Saturated Fat: 11g
• Carbohydrates: 51g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 73mg