Zucchini Almond-Flour Cake Recipe

Prep Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

10 to 12

This almond flour cake is a moist and delicious dessert that’s a gluten-free take on that crowd-pleaser, the zucchini cake. It’s a single-layer snacking cake finished with an easy cream cheese frosting. Enjoy it for dessert, after-school snacking, sharing at a potluck, or any summer gathering. This recipe is a keeper that everyone will enjoy. Almond flour gives it a subtle nutty flavor while grated zucchini brings that characteristic soft texture. Potato starch keeps it light, and it's leavened with eggs and gluten-free baking powder.

Gluten-Free Tips

Look for almond flour in the baking or alternative foods aisle. To keep it fresh, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 year.
Check your baking powder: Some brands are labeled as gluten-free. Those made with corn or potato starch are okay, but those that use wheat starch are not.
Pure vanilla extract is always gluten-free.

Directions

Preheat oven and prep pan:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pan. Line bottom with parchment; butter paper.
Whisk dry ingredients:

In a bowl, whisk together almond flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk eggs over boiling water:

Set a large heatproof bowl over (not in) a pot with 1 inch barely simmering water. Add eggs and whisk until foamy, about 1 minute.
Add brown sugar:

Whisk in brown sugar and continue to whisk until mixture is fluffy and sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes.
Transfer to mixer and whisk until thickened:

Remove bowl from pot and, using a mixer, whisk on high until mixture is pale, thick, and cool to touch, 7 to 10 minutes.
Fold in butter, dry ingredients, vanilla, and zucchini:

With a flexible spatula, gently fold in melted butter, flour mixture, vanilla, and zucchini. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake:

Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool:

Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Invert onto a serving platter.
Make frosting and spread on cake

With mixer, beat together butter, vanilla, and cream cheese on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and beat until combined. Spread on top of cake.

Make Ahead

Cake can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated, up to 2 days.

Variations

When Martha made this cake on Martha Bakes episode 812, she doubled the batter ingredients and tripled the frosting ingredients to make a two-layer cake.