Moist White Zucchini Cake with Caramel Nut Frosting

5 from 6 votes

Moist White Zucchini Cake with Caramel Nut Frosting

An amazing zucchini cake with an incredibly moist texture that's frosted with a quick and easy broiled, caramel nut topping. Everyone from kids to adults loves this recipe!

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 438kcal

Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

2 8-inch round cake pans
Parchment Paper
Hand beater or stand mixer

Ingredients

Cake:

3 egg whites
1/4 cup oil (neutral flavored oil)
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup cane sugar
2 cup flour, unbleached or all-purpose
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
2 cups peeled and grated zucchini

Frosting:*

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened well
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

For the Cake:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour two 8" round pans. TIP: I grease and line the bottoms with parchment, flouring only the sides for easy removal.
Place the peeled, grated zucchini in a colander over a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon some, and let it drain while making the batter.
Beat egg whites until stiff in a mixer bowl; set aside in a small bowl.
In the same mixer bowl, mix together oil and butter (it won't cream completely), then add the sugar and beat 1-2 minutes until lighter in color and creamed together with the oil and butter.
In a 4-cup measure or medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add alternately with the milk to the creamed butter mixture. Beat until smooth - the batter will be thick.
Stir in the zucchini and then gently fold the reserved eggs whites into the batter (it will still be somewhat thick). Divide between prepared pans, spreading tops evenly with a spatula.
Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from pans to cool completely on a rack.

For the Frosting:

Mix brown sugar, softened butter, and nuts in a small bowl; stir in milk until smooth.
Just before serving (or an hour or two before), place the cake rounds on a cookie sheet and spread each with an even amount of the frosting mixture.
Broil about 5 inches from heat until frosting bubbles and browns, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully- the frosting burns easily.
Place one layer on a serving plate and top with the other layer.
Serve immediately - and be prepared to be amazed.

Notes

*This broiled frosting is just the basic one found in my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook. You can use any broiled frosting or other frosting you like.

TO MAKE AHEAD: Cook and cool the layers and wrap or place in a gallon baggie with a piece of parchment between them. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for 4-5 days. When ready to serve, prepare frosting as usual.

TO STORE: Keep frosted cake at room temperature, covered, for a day or two. Best is to cut it into pieces and then either freeze them or place in covered containers to store in the fridge for a few more days.

TO FREEZE: I've learned that the cake layers freeze perfectly and stay moist - I've served it months (one time a year!) later and no one believed it had been frozen so long.

Whole cake, plain: Cool the layers completely and then place them (with no frosting) in a gallon sized freezer baggie with a piece of parchment between the layers. Label and date - use within a year (thaw and proceed with the frosting instructions).
Pieces of cake, with frosting: Individually wrap 1-2 cut pieces of the cake in aluminum foil, label and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw and eat - it's still just about perfect!

TIP: I've taken the bagged layers on trips with all the frosting ingredients in a separate bag - it's so easy to mix, top, and broil any place you have access to a stove.

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