Description

Indulge in this Cinnamon Sugar-Crusted Zucchini Cake recipe—moist, spiced, and topped with a crunchy sugar crust. Perfect for using up all that summer zucchini.

Ingredients

Scale

3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chai spice*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (213 grams) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (99 grams) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream
2–1/2 cups (400 grams) coarsely grated zucchini

CINNAMON FILLING:

2/3 cup (123 grams) light brown sugar
3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter, cubed and cold

CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING:

1/2 cup (90 grams) turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ baking pan with nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment slightly smaller than the width of the baking pan with enough overhang to form handles to lift the cake out once cooled; place in the pan and spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, chai spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown and granulated sugars, vegetable oil, and melted butter until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla and sour cream.
Squeeze the zucchini to remove some of the liquid; a little remaining is okay for this recipe.
Using a rubber spatula, gently mix the flour mixture into the liquid ingredients until combined. Fold the zucchini into the batter.
For the cinnamon filling: In a small mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon, stirring to combine. Using your fingers, pinch and flatten the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until medium-sized crumbs form.
For the cinnamon sugar topping: Combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan; scatter over the cinnamon filling, and top with the remaining batter. Top with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the top is deeply golden and crisp and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing into squares.