Wow. Where do I start with this cake?
It’s absolutely incredible, moist, hearty, slightly crumbly, sweet, and delicious. That’s where.
Our air conditioner happened to go out the weekend I baked it, which meant sweat was pouring down my hairline as I was whipping up the icing. It was a true act of love and so, so worth it.
The minute the cake was done I popped it in the freezer so I could ice it as quickly as possible, with THIS STUFF. Dairy-free cream cheese icing. Thank you dairy-free “dairy products.” My gut owes you one.
In this here icing we have:
Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese
Earth Balance vegan butter
Vanilla extract
& Powdered shuga
So creamy, light, slightly tangy, and just as good as the real stuff – guaranteed.
Let’s put it on that cake, shall we?
Wow. This cake is INSANE. The almond meal gives it a nutty, hearty texture and flavor. The zucchini adds moisture and plenty of vitamins C and B and fiber. Applesauce and cane sugar add just the right amount of sweetness. And the icing sends it over the TOP!
To keep this cake gluten-free, I used gluten-free oats, almond meal and my favorite gluten-free flour blend. The good thing is it has many elements + an egg for binding, so even if you use a slightly different flour blend, it should turn out fine.
I HAD to have this cake before the summer ended. I adapted the recipe from a family favorite that belongs to my aunt Donna. Donna and I have so much in common: July birthdays, loud laughs, and an extreme love for sweets. No wonder she and I gush over this cake…
If you are skeptical of your ability to bake a gluten-free cake, don’t be. This one only requires 1 bowl!
This cake is also very forgiving. I made it the next day as cupcake/muffins and they turned out wonderfully. The important thing is: Make this recipe! Your family and friends will love you for it – promise.
Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
GLUTEN-FREE ZUCCHINI CAKE
- 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup raw or organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup olive, avocado, or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs*
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend*
- 3/4 cup almond meal (ground from raw almonds)
- 1/4 cup gluten-free oats
- 1 pinch salt
DAIRY-FREE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 4 Tbsp non-dairy butter (such as Earth Balance // softened)
- 2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (1/2 lb. yields ~2-2 1/2 cups)
- 4 ounces “Tofutti” dairy-free cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (148 C) and butter and flour an 8×8 pan with dairy-free butter or cooking spray and gluten-free flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, and zucchini. Add vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Lastly add almond meal, gluten free flour blend, and gluten free oats and whisk again to combine. The batter should be slightly thick but very easy to pour.
- Pour batter into your pan and bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the edges are golden brown.
- While cooling, make your frosting by beating dairy-free butter and cream cheese together, then add vanilla and beat again. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach desired consistency and sweetness. It should be fairly thick but still spreadable.
- Once the cake is fully cooled, frost and serve immediately. You’ll have leftover frosting.
- The cake should keep covered in the fridge for several days, or in the freezer for several weeks. However, it’s best when eaten fresh. Let set out for 10-15 minutes before serving if refrigerating so it warms a bit and becomes more tender.
- To adapt this recipe into more of a zucchini bread, reduce the cane sugar to 1/2 cup (as original recipe is written) and forgo the icing!
Notes
*Gluten-free flour blend: 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 1/4 cup white rice flour.
*You can substitute an equal amount of our NEW 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the gluten-free flour blend in this recipe.
*This recipe is from the kitchen of my aunt and beloved godmother, Donna Parks.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with frosting.
Jon says
Just made this and it turned out beautifully, so light and flavorful! Almost ate it all ???
Gilly says
Oh my goodness! I made this but actually turned it into muffins, took out the shug and replaced it with dates, substituted eggs with flax (totally works BTW!) and got the most delicious GF, DF, SF muffins on the planet! Thank you so much for an amazing recipe! ???
Melinda Stilson York says
Yum! How many dates? A cup? I was thinking about trying dates also.
Ravi says
Such a nice gluten-free zucchini cake ideas. Really awesome. Thank you so much. I really appreciate this awesome recipe.
rik says
i make my organic vegan zucchini cakes always with flaxeggs, gonna try this one
greetings
rik
arqiriek
Heidi Mayer says
I made the cake this morning. I used coconut flour instead of the almonds. I also did not add all of the flour mixture. I used Krusteaz flour. The cake mixture was pourable but not at all runny. It needed to cook 65 minutes. The cake is very moist, a little dense and has a great flavor. With frosting it is sweet.
Dani Barnhart says
Well.. this is amazing! Ive eaten wayyyyy too much on my own. I made it w egg substitute (ENER G egg replacer) and regular all purpose flower and it came out great. too great actually : ) I also didnt frost it because I wanted it to be a tad ‘healthier’ for my toddler. Still delicious. Great flavor and texture.
Haylee says
It’s a bit confusing in the recipe when you list “1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend” & then give the recipe for it below… because when I scrolled down to your GF flour recipe I ended up adding the ENTIRE 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch, etc… was so confused when the result came out super doughy. Reread the entire recipe and figured out my mistake! I just ended up doubling the batch since I had about double the flour so now I’ve got a huge cake baking… maybe it was meant to be… :)
Megan says
I just made this cake yesterday for my parents’ anniversary. It is SO DELICIOUS. Thank you again for another wonderful recipe. I’m vegan so I made it with the flax eggs, and left out the applesauce because my mom is intolerant to apples. Both modifications definitely worked! I’d recommend this recipe!
Alex says
I absolutely loved this cake! I followed the recipe, using the flax eggs and all all-purpose flour instead, and it was delicious. Then I upped the ante by using 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour and 3/4 c. cocoa powder, and added chocolate chips just to the top– loved it even more!! I didn’t make any substitutions for the high altitude (7300ft) and it came out perfectly. My new favorite cake recipe!
irahappyone says
This turned out great, even though I know Gluten Free flour blends are all different and oils are different. Also I think different zucchini has different levels of moisture, maturity, cross pollination with other squash, etc. I didn’t have a few times: replaced almond meal with Teff flour, replaced applesauce with mashed up canned pears. It was a little bit crumbly, and I missed the texture that the almond meal would have given it. I made it as a loaf of zucchini bread and the loaf looks really great! Wish I had a device to give you a picture. I only have an old desk top (I’m a minimalist, living in a world of consumer crazed junkies…lol)
Megan says
Will Bob’s Red Mill GF flour work here?
Chris says
This is an excellent recipe. It is super moist. My family loved it. I used coconut oil. I did not add frosting. Thank you, Dana!
Amber says
I’m making this in mini loaf pans- it’s been in the oven 1hr15min and the middle is still doughy. I’m new to cooking without eggs and gluten- is this normal? Will it set up, or do you recommend cooking even longer? The crust is nice and great, the inside raw.
irahappyone says
I cooked it in 3 regular size glass loaf pans (multiplied the recipe) with a heavy metal baking sheet under them to disperse the heat. My family and I have been gluten free for 30 years, and I’d say it is common for GF baked goods to be slow cooking in the middle. But… for this one… if your oven is true temp and you followed all the directions, then possibly your zucchini was a bit watery and there is just too much liquid, or your flour mix might be too finely ground. Try some of the recipes for making your own flour mix off the internet, and start searching for asian grocers in your area for flours, also food cooperatives or stores with bulk (winco) often have various flours. Good luck! I’ve learned so much about food and reading labels as I’ve journeyed along the GF path. Celiac.com is a good site with a variety of lists of GF and not by brands etc.
Manpreet says
Just made this cake and it turned out amazing! I was craving carrot cake so I added a cup of grated carrots, worked out great. Thank you so much for yet another awesome recipe :)
Megan says
What a wonderful idea! I’ll have to try this next time!
casey says
Hi, I was looking for a dairy free frosting. I have an awesome “compost cake” that I make using Cream Cheese Frosting. I need to go Dairy Free but love baking! I live in Germany and there is no Toffutti replacement here… any suggestions?
Hi! You could try using a cashew cream as the base. Just be sure to use a high speed blender to get the best results! Either that or do a coconut whipped cream-like frosting. Good luck!
irahappyone says
Maybe learn to make your own tofu off the internet and order gums and such to put in it to make it just the right texture. I researched gums the other day and saw a recipe for various tofu types. So may things have tree gums in them these days.
Ima says
This cake is a keeper for sure. Really delicious. Made it this morning for friends, and ended up serving it with whipped cream instead of frosting while it was still warm, and oh my goodness it was sooo good. Everyone loved it!
Renuka says
Dana, I’m dyying to try out your zucchini cake, but I have ZERO access to Tofutti and Earth Balance. please help??
Vera says
Can I use a smashed banana instead of applesauce?
Hi! Smashed banana should work just fine in place of applesauce! I haven’t tried it for this recipe but let me know how it goes if you try it out!
irahappyone says
I mashed up some canned pears… I think any mashed soft fruit should work.
Lisa says
I tried making it, but it feels like it is missing a liquid. The batter was a paste, not runny (at all). After adding more oil, more applesauce, more water… it was still not pourable. I just slipped it into the oven as I didn’t want to waste the ingredients. WIth 2 1/4 cups of flours, oil, applesauce and eggs are not enough to give it a pourable capacity…
irahappyone says
Hhmm I have to wonder if you might have misread some measurements or left out an ingredient. If not, then your zucchini or applesauce may not have been as watery as most, or your flour blend could have been different, or the eggs were too small… or too much oats maybe…. I made a double batch and it turned out great in loaf pans.
Laura M says
Yummy & moist.
Emily says
I’ve made the cake part twice (had different ingredients in the house for frosting, so I improvised there). Absolutely delicious! Have you tried freezing it? If so, how’d it go? Thinking it would be fun to be able to just thaw and serve.
irahappyone says
I made three loaf pans that turned out beautiful. I’m going to try making more and freezing it. Will try to remember to get on here and let you know how it goes. I freeze lots of GF baked goods and they usually come back to consistency if they are heated before serving. So I might take slices of this and wrap them in wax paper and microwave for just 15-20 seconds or enough to just warm it. Or I might put some butter or coconut oil in a fry pan and toast the slices grill style…yum… be great with a dab of cream cheese or dollup of sherbert…
Andrea Hosfeld says
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this cake. I have an allotment in London and my one zucchini plant has produced no less than 70 zucchinis! (No, I didn’t feed it with miracle grow… only an organic seaweed!) Anyway, I made this cake today for a group of friends, one of which is gluten free. I am vegan so I used egg replacer and I also used coconut sugar instead of regular sugar. I did not have any vegan cream cheese so I made a lemon butter cream with vegan butter, lemon juice, zest, a little vanilla and some icing sugar. I have to say that the results were truly stunning. I couldn’t believe this cake was both vegan and gluten free and had such a nice texture and a to die for flavour. Thank you for your recipes and the time you take to balance flavours and textures. You brought a lot of enjoyment to our little group : )
Shelly says
Hello Dana, if I do not have applesauce on hand, could I substitute butter? Thanks so much!
We haven’t tried it, but that might work. Or, replace the applesauce with more oil!
Lindsay says
Could I use just brown rice flour, instead of both brown and white rice flour? How would it alter the outcome?
Nicole says
“You could make this recipe vegan by subbing the chicken eggs for 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water). ”
Noooooo! You’ve got this backwards. If the eggs are in the original recipe and the flax is the substitute, then you sub the flax for the chicken eggs. OR you can sub the eggs WITH the flax. Think of it this way — would you say “replace the chicken eggs for flax eggs”? No, you’d replace the chicken eggs WITH flax.
I don’t know when this error became so common, but please help me fight it!
Georgia says
I made this vegan and used and egg replacer and it was amazing!!! Thank you!!
Ellie says
Gorgeous cake. If anybody does want to make this vegan, i’ve made this cake twice and substituted the 2 eggs for vegan egg replacer and it worked beautifully :)
mistie says
Hello,
I am allergic to potatoes, is there a substitute I can use for the potato starch that is still gluten free?
AC says
Hm, I had high hopes for this recipe because of the reviews in the comments but for me it didn’t stay together in loaf form but it was gummy enough that I could roll it up into balls (and I enrobed them in cacao butter to at least save it). I used chia eggs as other commenters had noted this had worked and my gluten-free blend was 1/2 cup tapioca and 1 cup sorghum flour; I used only half the sugar. What could have gone wrong?
Also, for the oats the recipe doesn’t note if they’re supposed to be quick cooking or rolled.
I don’t recommend sorghum. I’ve never had good luck with it.
Belsante says
Are there any healthy frostings that you would recommend with this?
Hmm, how about a cashew cream sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla?
Belsante says
Can you make the cashew cream, or is it something that you have to buy?
You can make it! Simply soak raw cashews in hot water for 1 hour, then drain and blend with some maple syrup and a little coconut milk. That should work!
Sasha says
I made this today and it is wonderful!
I used only 1/2 cup of sugar instead of the full cup and substituted sour cream for the applesauce as I am not dairy free. Also, I added chocolate chips (made it as a bread not a cake). It turned out very moist and delicious!!! Definitely will make again!
Now I have something to do with all those zucchinis from my garden :)
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Stacy Hartenbaum says
Best gluten free baked good I’ve tried so far! I bake for everyone but me because of my food intolerances, so I had some zucchini from my garden, and leftover pineapple, shredded coconut and pecans from a carrot cake I made a few days ago. I had to use cream cheese and butter because the soy ingredients will kill me. It came out just as good as the carrot cake I always make with regular flour. Thank you for the great recipe!
Bettina Loerincz says
Love it, I am eating it right now. I substituted the eggs with flax eggs, the GF flour blend with half half of chickpea flour and coconut flour. It was a bit dry, so I added 150 ml rice milk. It is so tender and soft and the icing is perfection. Thanks!!
Natalie says
Hello
I made your muffins in the cookbook and they were Delish. I wasn’t sure where to write for a question with those and really a lot of your recipes. I can’t give my youngest son nuts yet so
I was sure if I could supplement almond milk for coconut milk and if so which one. The can or carton? I would love to know. Thank you!
Emily says
This was the perfect way to use some zucchini that my dad picked from the garden this past weekend. I made this recipe as muffins instead of cake, and they turned out fantastic! I was looking for a gluten free muffin vs cupcake, so I left off the icing (although I do plan to make this as a cake in the near future!). I also only used a heaping 1/2 cup sugar instead of the full cup, and I used about 2/3 cup oats instead of 1/2 cup. I also sprinkled some oats on top of the muffins prior to baking. For extra nutrients and some natural sweetness, I added about a 1/2 cup of grated carrots as well (in addition to the 1 1/2 cups of grated zucchini). I used Namaste brand all purpose gluten free flour, and it worked wonderfully. Thanks for a great gluten free recipe!
Chris Elis says
I made this cake and it is gorgeous! Even my non gluten free friends love it. I am making it again for July 4th. Thank you for this recipe!
Chris Ellis
Denise Ryan says
I am trying this Zuccini cake for the first time and it shows 3whole zucchinis, but when I shred only 1 and half 7in one I already have 17half cups! Should I proceed or shred the rest of the 3?
Please answer soon since I have all the ingredients on the counter already. Thank you so much.
Denise
Lisa says
I have a nut allergy… can I omit the almond meal? What would you suggest I substitute it with?
Thanks :)
Carly Syms says
Hi Lisa – please check out the Recipe FAQ: https://minimalistbaker.com/recipe-faq/
See our FAQ for help!
Taylor says
This zucchini cake is great! I’ve been wanting to make a zucchini bread since summer stared and then I remembered your recipe. I subbed all purpose flour for the GF/almond flours and it worked perfectly. I love that it’s not too sweet and the icing adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Ganbatte says
it looks delicious, i’ll try makes one!
Stephanie says
I’ve been stressing out about finding a cake for my daughter’s 2nd birthday and although I’m completely awful at baking I might just give this a try. I have what you might consider a stupid question but remember I’m a gf, vegan baking newbie and I suck at it! But, can I use all purpose flour that is GF? Will it yield the same results and regular all purpose? Thank you!
Ellie says
Thank you for sharing this wonderful zucchini recipe. My family and friends enjoyed this delightful cake very much! It was gone in minutes! I used flax eggs and regular flour. Also, I buttered the pan using coconut oil.
Kristyn says
I have made this multiple times! It is an absolute favourite for my whole family (no one can tell the frosting is completely dairy free)
I added some chopped walnuts in this time around
AMAZING! Thank you for creating :) x
Krissey says
My daughter has nut allergies so I can’t use almond meal is there anything I can replace it with that is still healthy?
Amber says
Did you make the powdered sugar or did you buy a store brand?
Edna says
Hi Dana! Can I replace the almond meal with more flour or oats? Almonds/almond meal is a little bit out of my price range. Thanks :)
That should work! Do an even mix of the two for best results.
Sarah says
I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for your blog. My toddler is allergic to dairy, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, and wheat. Because of your blog he can carry on as a normal kid eating sweets and treats! Thank you!
Shawna says
I only made the v. cream cheese frosting recipe for some cinnamon rolls I just made. YUHHMMM! I haven’t had cream cheese frosting in almost 30 years, but I remember eating it off carrot cake as a kid (and leaving the carrot cake!) Anyway, tastes exactly as remembered so long ago. I did add more vanilla and sea salt to balance the super sweet. Would prefer dates or whole food based sweetener.. just wanted to try the original recipe before tweaking. This was so good!
Dairy-Free-Diet.com says
What a gorgeous cake! It’s nice to have another option for those with allergies. I could definitely go for a slice of this right now!
Laura says
Great recipe! We made it as 12 muffins (with flax eggs) – we found the batter just needed a bit of thinning out with soya milk as it was a bit thick.
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, Laura!
Frankie says
Hi! Where I live you can’t get tofutti or any similar vegan cream cheese. Do you have any ideas on what I can use instead?
Hmm, you could try using a cashew cream as the base. Just be sure to use a high speed blender to get the best results! Either that or do a coconut whipped cream-like frosting. Good luck!
Haka says
Oh, great recipe…
I am try to modification your recipe with use a mix of shredded zucchini and carrots, sub 3/4 cup maple syrup for the sugar and use GF flour mix. I hope this recipe will be good delicious like you….
This weekend our air conditioner (ac) is broken too, maybe I will experience the same thing with you. sweat. :(
Theresa says
Okay, I wanted to make a vegan carrot cake but couldn’t find a recipe I liked and do I adapter this – it came out amazing! I used the same amount of grated carrots in place of the zucchini, flax eggs in place of the eggs and a grated apple instead of apple sauce cause I difn’t have any. And I used regular flour, not Gluten-free. The result is delicious and – husband approved!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Theresa!
Randie says
Super yummy recipe! I personally like to add a bit of psyllium husk powder to my gluten free baking, which I did with this recipe, and I completely forgot to add the eggs and it turned out wonderful! Next time I will add the eggs also to compare. Sliced a piece off with a dab of butter and delish! Thank you so very much. :)
Randie says
forgot to rate it! 5 stars everyone. :)
KMac says
it’s in the oven now! i was surprised at how easy it was to throw together, can’t wait to try it!
fyi!: soy is not good for you :( (the tofutti)…it’s a US Govt marketing campaign from way back when….because soy is incredibly cheap, they want us to believe it’s a health food…it’s not!
i hate to bring the mood down, excited to find this site, and THANX so much for putting these recipes out there!
but I also want to help if possible! here are 2 easy to read articles about soy in case you are wanting to learn a bit about it!
https://www.mercola.com/article/soy/avoid_soy.htm
http://www.mercola.com/Downloads/bonus/dangers-of-soy/report.aspx
Joanne says
KMac – what nonsense. Soy has been consumed by billions – yes, billions – of people for over a thousand years, and all of those people were/are healthier than those in the western world.
Steer clear of Mercola, and use evidence based sources. Isn’t Mercola trying to sell his own snake oil?
Jule says
Made this and it was fantastic, even without the frosting! Can it be modified to be made into zucchini bread, or would that be a completely different recipe?
Jessica says
Hello! Excited to try this! Any suggestions for applesauce replacement to make it it a low FODMAP friendly?
I’m not familiar with that diet. Perhaps non-dairy yogurt could work?
Amanda L. says
Hi Dana! Tried this cake for a gf friend, and we both lived it. Thanks! -Amanda (from KCbookies.)
So great! thanks for sharing!!
Pam says
This cake was so delicious!!!!! It doesn’t taste gluten free or dairy free – just pure heaven. Thank you!!
Whoop! Glad you liked it, Pam! Thanks for sharing!
Claudia says
Love the recipe, added blueberries, even better! But can I please say that it would make it SO much easier if the ingredient would be in order one needs them? Most recipes are structured that way and it makes it confusing to go up and down to make sure nothing got overlooked.
Karen says
Two questions:
I can’t eat even gf oats so would you recommend adding 1/4 cup more gf blend or almond meal..or something else?
I’m curious about the mixing order. Usually all dry ingredients are blended together and then mixed in. Is there a reason you have the powders and spice come first?
Kristy Perry says
Out of this world!!! Thank you!!!
Elaine says
This recipe was a hit at the dinner party.
One of the ladies had diabetes, so I substituted the sugar with Xylitol to make it sugar-free. It might not have tasted as sweet with Xylitol but we all enjoyed it. Comments indicated the sweetness was great as it wasn’t overly sweet.
It worked out great.
For the icing, I used the non-dairy cream cheese, Xylitol, vanilla and a bit of water to thin out the cream cheese so I could spread it.
So the recipe was gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free.
Candice says
Hi Dana! Your blog has been a life saver between my diary/egg issues and my other half’s gluten/corn/oat issues.
This looks delicious. My other half cannot have oats which is tricky. Do you think I can sub out the 1/4 cup of oats for more of your gluten free flour blend?
Thanks!
So wonderful! Thanks for the kind words, Candice. I think that swap should work fine! Or, you could blend almond meal and gluten free flour to make up for the oats. Best of luck!
Candice says
Thank you!!
Briana says
I am doubling the recipe and I’m stuck because the mixture is more of a doughy consistency. This is for my twins Birthday party at 2pm today! Help??!!!
What can I use to thin it? Applesauce?!
Oh sorry! I always thin with almond milk.
Natacha says
Wow this is PERFECT!
I made breakfast muffins and only used half the sugar, but I guess I could use even less they’re a little on the sweet side.
Thanks for sharing!! Yay!
Katie says
Similar to someone else’s note – I’ve never left a comment before but this recipe is such a winner I wanted to share our thanks. Our household of 5 has multiple food allergies/intolerances/diets but I love to bake and return to many of your recipes time and time again! I bake gluten free vegan which definitely can be a challenge. Carrot cake has always been my favorite but I gave up on it having tried and sadly dismissed many different recipes. This cake is a perfect substitute!!! My kids love it too & my oldest actually wants zucchini cake for her birthday. My kids happily help to shred zucchini & want to eat it – now that makes a Mom happy! Thanks again and keep on posting.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Katie!!
Gabi says
Katie! I don’t know if this message will get to you as you posted a while ago. I’ve been experimenting with gluten free and vegan baking… Our family too has multiple food allergies! But I’m finding it incredibly difficult to get a decent consistency. I wonder whether I’m jus still comparing it to my non gluten free and non vegan days where things just tasted so good! But the texture of a lot of things I bake these days seem to either be crumbly or sticky/chewy in the sense that they stick to the roof of your mouth! :-( I’ve played around with the wet ingredients, added applesauce to provide moisture, but I can’t get the right texture. I just know eggs would solve the problem lol! I can’t use xanthan gum either due to sensitivity issues! Am beginning to think my expectations for the texture are too high with gf vegan baking! Just wondered what your experiences were! Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Gabi! There definitely will be a textural difference with certain types of baked goods – like cinnamon rolls and quick breads. With this recipe, you can sub a flax egg for the chicken egg and it works fine! It’s not as good, but definitely still delicious! Every recipe takes a little experimenting. Most of my newer recipes are both V+GF, so give those a look for reference/inspiration!
Jams says
I agree. This recipe is a winner in my house as well!
Claire says
This looks sooo good! I’m allergic to potato, so is there any other flour blend I could use? I’ve used your g.f. pancake mix for cookies and it worked amazingly well. Might it work for this recipe, as well? Thanks!
I’d replace the potato flour with a blend of the other flours. Hope that helps!
Shane says
First off, I’ve never commented on any blog I follow, but this warrants it.
I made this recipe twice now. This s*** is seriously addictive! I like to ignore how much sugar there is (I subbed some honey) and I pretend to myself it’s healthy because of the courgette/zucchini, but it’s just so damn moist and soft and delicious, I can’t believe how good it tastes.
Today is the second time I baked this and I scaled up the ingredients to make four 1/2 pound loaves and a 1 pound loaf also.
Oh and I’m also allergic to almonds so I just measured the same amount of sunflower seeds, bashed them for a while in a bag and voila – nutty and gives it a bit more bite/crunch. I’ve done this before where recipes call for almond meal, seems to work fine, the nuts are of a similar oil and reduce to a nice grain, but I like some chunks.
Thanks for a seriously wicked recipe – from an Irishman, living in Germany, but who lived on the West Coast of Canada. Keep up the stellar work!
Monica says
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much for this recipe! I have a dairy allergy and don’t tolerate gluten well, so when I found this, it meant I could enjoy one of my favorite breads again! I was so anxious to try it right out of the oven I tried it plain without anything on it. I was pleasantly amazed it has just the right amount of sweetness and hardiness that I love. I even went back to make sure I hadn’t put any sugar in the batter. Incredible that this doesn’t require ANY sugar! I have been trying to be modest with my amounts per day, but I have almost eatten the entire loaf by myself. Hehe. Oh! And I found that instead of making a frosting I just spread a bit of Earth Balance Vegan butter on a slice and it is absolutely decadent! Thank you! Thank you!
Marianne says
I have made this four times, and we love it, although I have not made the icing – not a fan of the Tofutti flavor. I use coconut oil as my chosen oil and my GF mix of tapioca, white rice flour, potato starch and brown rice flour. My 20 year old son wanted me to put 1/4 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips in it, and he loves this variation. Never thought he would be begging for zucchini bread, but it’s his favorite breakfast or snack food. I make two mini loaves from one batch, and freeze the extra one. It’s delicious and moist! Thank you for the recipe!
Hager says
I am trying to make the frosting but I am not sure what to substitute the ‘tofutti’ cream cheese with? This is not available where I live and I am not sure what else can be used. Thanks
alyssa says
Delicious Vegan!!!
I just made this recipe VEGAN and it came out perfect after baking 1 hr + about 5-10 min:
FOR EGG: 2 Tbl ground flax + 6-7 Tbl warm water
For the gluten free flour blend, I used: The Pure Pantry Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix
For the Baking Powder/Soda I used: 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda (the Pure Pantry baking mix flour includes baking powder and soda, so you don’t need as much as the original recipe calls for)
Instead of sugar I used: Coconut Sugar
Lindsey says
Amazingly delicious! I used extra GF flour mix/oats since I didn’t have almond meal, subbed 3/4 cup maple syrup for the sugar (just prefer it to sugar) and used a mix of shredded zucchini and carrots. I’m trying not to eat the whole thing myself. I think I could cut back on the maple syrup a bit next time to reduce the sugar, its plenty sweet. Fantastic!
Pam K says
What can you substitute the almond flour with if you have nut allergies?
Thanks! Looks great!
A mix of additional GF Oats and GF Flours!
Pam K says
Thank you!
Heidi says
This was the perfect thing to help me get rid of my first ever crop of home-grown zucchini! I have more than I know what to do with.
It was delicious, but I did make one mistake – didn’t have an 8×8 pan so I used a rectangular one that was bigger. Because this caused the dough to spread out more, it cooked faster, and was a little overdone and dry after 45 minutes. Oh well…didn’t stop my hubby and me from scarfing down half of it already last nite. Great recipe!
haha, nice! Thanks for sharing, Heidi! Glad it all worked out!
Karley Breese says
These are great!! Everything worked well. I must have rolled out too big/long because I ended up getting about 15 smaller buns -not that I’m complaining! I might try brown sugar inside and up the cinnamon, but definitely a keeper… And DONT SKIP THE DAIRY FREE CREAM CHEESE ICING. I used the Daiya brand vegan cream cheese and I like it better than Tofutti.
Chi says
This recipe along with your banana bread recipe is a keeper for my family. We veganized it this by using flax eggs and omitting the frosting to cut down on sugar and it was perfection. Thanks Dana.
CamiCakes says
Going to try using Trader Joe’s GF Baking Mix in this recipe for my son’s 3rd birthday this weekend. Hoping it turns out well! Thanks for the recipe!
I think that should work beautifully! Let me know how it goes!!
CamiCakes says
Trader Joe’s GF Baking Mix worked very nicely. We loved it!
Christine says
I made this tonight! I wanted it vegan and white sugar free, so I made adjustments. I started with MB’s main recipe and then just adjusted as I went along. The result was a sweet, moist cake that is very delicious!!!
Here’s what I did:
1 3/4 cup shredded organic zucchini
2 droppers liquid vanilla stevia
2/3 cup Lakanto
1 tsp AF baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup organic canola oil
1/4 cup US organic applesauce
2 chia eggs (2 T. ground organic chia & 6 T. water)
1 tsp organic Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 cup organic millet flour
3/4 cup organic coconut flour
1/4 cup organic oats (ground up a bit in the food processor)
1/4 cup organic Xagave
I mixed the wet ingredients first and then added the dry. Followed the rest of the recipe exactly.
Lyn says
What is Lakanto, I have never heard of it?
Cassie says
If I wanted to use only a gluten free flour mix and oats (no almond flour) – how much should I use? And will that work? Also, I would prefer to use eggs, can I do 1.5 eggs instead or does the ratio change? Thank you!
Beth Viehmann says
CHRISTINE, Oooh! Wish Id seen your no sugar recipe before I put mine together which is baking now. I’m vegan and avoid sugar but wasn’t sure how to sub the sweeteners Ive got – coconut sugar, maple syrup, stevia powder. I ended up following recipe. Next time I’ll use your suggestions! Batter tasted amazing.
Tina says
The verdict is in on the flax egg works PERFECT :) great recipe Ty
I left the skin on the zucchini next time I will not do that think it’s too much
Flavor so peel them would be a good tip on ingredients :)
Also because of the moister in zucchini I think u could totally remove all the oil and replace
With applesauce .
You could Add some carrots as well I think this is a great base recipe that we could add whatever we wanted some nuts or raisons just a suggestion :)
Yay!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Laura says
Thank-you for sharing the Flax sub results, for the egg….Needed to know for my daughters birthday and BAKE TODAY and didn’t have eggs in the house, and want to be more plant based. SUPER!!
Olivia Blackler says
Hi I made a banana bread using a similar gf flour blend to this one. The texture was great but the flavour from the brown rice flour was very strong and somewhat inedible. I have tried researching about the flavour of brown rice flour and all the websites I’ve looked at say that brown rice flour has a neutral or mild flavours. Do you have any idea why my brown rice flour would have flavoured it so much?
Thanks
it probably just has a stronger flavor because it’s not processed like white rice flour. Perhaps try adding more white rice flour if it’s giving you issues. hope that helps!
Geetha says
This is a great recipe – thank you. Can I use grated cooked carrots instead of Zucchini?
Amanda says
Cake is baking in the oven as we speak…attempted this for my son’s 1st birthday! I added xyantham gum because I thought that was a standard when working with GF flours to help with moisture. I wish I would’ve omitted because the batter turned out like cookies! Hoping something magical happens in the oven and that it somehow turn out ok!
rachel says
Baked these today. They are AMAZING. seriously. Thanks!
Yay! I know right? I ate like half the cake right away. So good!
Meren says
New at baking here. Would this recipe need to be doubled to make a dozen or so cupcakes?
Anne Griffin (@GriffinDryGoods) says
Wow! This looks truly magnificent. And great for the seasonal excess of zucchini. Thanks!
Kathryn says
Oh, I need this cake in my life! Look at all that cakey goodness and that perfect frosting. Love it.
Jess says
Love this! That cake looks absolutely fantastic, and I love how simple it is – perfect end of summer fare, Dana!
Cara @ TheVeganBarbie says
I’m drooling! Can’t wait to try this!
Megan says
I definitely ogogogged when this popped up on my pinterest feed!
I be makin’ this.
Have you ever made cashew cream frosting in lieu of fromage de creme? I whipped up a batch to adorn my vegan pumpkin cinnamon buns and it was divine!
Postscript: your recipes and delightful anecdotes make my day. Thank You!
Justin says
this cake looks amazing! i’ve never dealt with gf flour mixes before…are they hard to obtain? i’m not gf so i’ve never had to buy or make a mix…could i even make this with all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour? thanks!
Not at all! Actually, they can be found at most major grocery stores now, especially in the “healthy” or organic sections. You could easily sub all purpose or whole wheat in this recipe. Hope that helps!
Justin says
It’s does! Thanks a bunch…I’m new to your blog and I’m loving everything! Can’t wait to start making!
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says
So glad you shared this! I love zuk cake and have been meaning to try a gluten free version. Yours looks perfect!
Thanks Gwen! I find this cake THEE perfect end-of-summer treat to indulge in before cooler temps arrive.
Ashley says
Oh.Oh.Oh.!!!! YES. All of it. Right now. Pretty please.
Jessica (bakecetera) says
this is a beautiful cake. i want a slice right now! you have inspired me to bake something zucchini-y very soon :D!!
dixya| food, pleasure, and health says
heading to farmers market this weekend for for zucchini cakes seriously you are tempting me..
Tieghan says
Yup, it sure looks insane! Insanely awesome! I love this one and that you sweated your ass off to make it! True blogger dedication!
Yes, I sweat for my cakes. That’s how much I love them : ) Glad you appreciate my sacrifice.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I am definitely trying this! LOVE!
Liz S. says
This sounds amazing! But are the sugar and fiber gram amounts correct? 60g sugar and 43g of fiber doesn’t sound right, haha :D
Liz! The way the nutrition displays is actually a little confusing. It’s actually 60 g Carbohydrates and 43 g Sugar per slice. Sorry for the confusion!
Liz S. says
OH!!! I see it now. Ahh, I’m so sorry for being stupid about that. Thank you for clearing it up! I’m going to make the cake this weekend :)
Leanne Battelle says
Must make that zucchini cake right away. You think I’d get those same frosting results with regular butter and cream cheese?
Yes!
Barbara Beckstrom says
What is your “go to gluten-free flour blend” for flourless bread? You mention it several times and I click on the link, but it takes me to another receipe but no note on the “blend”. Thank you,
Barbara
Lyn says
I too clicked on the link to check out the flour blend but couldn’t locate it. What blend do you use?
Kella DeHabermann says
I can’t have tofu, So I will have to use regular cream cheese. Do you have have any suggestions?
It should work the same! Just let it soften.
Lisa says
Hi there! I wanted to add lemon zest to this recipe…how much do you think I should add without it being too overwhelming? Also, can I buy a gluten free flour blend at the store? If not, will just one type of gluten free flour work for this recipe?
Thanks!! :)
Lisa says
Oh I forgot to ask as well… Can I make this in a loaf pan?