Snack Cake Recipe: Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I’m revisiting this delicious snack cake recipe I first made a few years ago. It’s based on a coffee cake I return to often, but this time I gave it a wholesome twist with the addition of shredded carrot, zucchini, raisins, and a handful of rolled oats. The result is a dense, moist cake that’s just sweet enough. I topped it with a lightly sweetened frosting that adds the perfect finishing touch without overpowering the flavors.

Snack Cake Recipe: Spiced Carrot and Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBS cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups grated carrot
1 cup grated zucchini

For the Frosting:

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 – 2 TBS orange juice or milk
pinch of salt

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Spray a 13 x 9″ pan with cooking spray.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached mix together the oil, sugar and eggs until light and lemon yellow in color.
• Add in the milk and vanilla and blend well.
• In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Stir in the oats.
• Add the flour mixture to the bowl and just blend together.
• Add the carrots, zucchini and raisins and stir just until blended.

• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cake rest until completely cooled.
• While the cake is cooling you can make the frosting:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached mix together the cream cheese and butter until well blended and smooth.
• Add the powdered sugar and the pinch of salt. Blend.
• Add one tablespoon of your liquid of choice and mix. If the frosting is spreadable and of a nice consistency don’t add any more liquid. If it needs to be thinned a bit more add the second tablespoon.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake in the pan.

Obviously, this would work just as well with all zucchinis or all carrots if you don’t have both on hand.

How Was the Snack Cake Recipe?

This snack cake recipe was very easy to make and it was very tasty. You really don’t need a big piece to be satisfied. The cake is moist and dense, and the cream cheese frosting is just sweet enough. It complements the cake perfectly. Unlike a fussier coffee cake this cake is just a simple treat to enjoy with your coffee or tea or a big glass of milk.