If you love zucchini bread or zucchini cakes, or even a delicious pumpkin zucchini spice bar, these cake squares are the best of both worlds.
Then, of course, repurposing those overripe bananas (which makes the best banana cookies by the way and cakes) makes them into a fabulous dessert like this zucchini cake.
I also added a little bonus inside, a very nice surprise as you bite into this decadent rich cake, there's a cream cheese filling inside!
It sounds totally gourmet for a zucchini cake but I promise you it's easy peasy!
You can also use this fantastic zucchini banana batter for muffins filled or unfilled.
There are several suggestions and additions below to add to this if you rather omit the filling no problem.
You can even dress this cake up to match the Italian colors and holiday theme with a little whipped cream and raspberry, red or green cherries and even a strawberry on top!
The cake tastes great just dusted with powder sugar or even a drizzle of cream cheese frosting recipe below!
So what are you waiting for?
Let's bake this together, I have step by step photos to show you or just scroll right to the recipe card and print this off!
Filled Cakes
If you love filled cakes, this is one of our family's favorite recipes I make all year long.
This is pretty much a conversation piece at any function when they slice into it and find this cream cheese surprise inside.
A decadent cake rich with bananas and super moist with freshly shredded zucchini inside.
The hint of cinnamon makes this perfect all year long and so simple to make in no time.
Suggestions for Toppings:
- Whipped Cream
- Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
- Cinnamon and sugar mixed sprinkled on top
- Hot fudge sauce and ice cream
- Caramel ice cream topping with whipped cream and toffee chips
- Powdered sugar
- Warmed Orange Marmalade drizzled or other favorite jam and whipped cream
- Red raspberries with whipped cream
- Colored sprinkles on top of whipped cream to match your holiday theme
Tips:
- This batter makes muffins, loaves or a cake
- The cream cheese filling can be omitted if you are counting calories
- Toppings are optional, the frosting makes this a sweeter cake, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar are garnishes and look pretty
- Additional ingredients can be chocolate, coconut, nuts or even dried fruits, chopped maraschino cherries in red and green for the holiday
- Bake until the middle is set and moist crumbs appear on the toothpick
- For the easiest removal of the cake line the pan with parchment paper
- Use paper liners for muffins
Mixing the Batter
Here are a few tips I wrote down while making this recipe.Just combine the wet ingredients in one bowl, I use a flat beater on the stirring mode.
Once its all combined set it aside and grab another clean bowl for all the dry ingredients.
Just gently fold the dry into the wet.
Don't forget to add any optional ingredients you may like.
This batter doesn't need to be beaten, just all folded in.
Now it's ready for muffins, loaf or a cake pan.
Tool You Will Need
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoon
- Grater for Zucchini or food processor
- Spatula
- Oven
- 8 or 9-inch square pan
- Loaf pan
- Muffin tin
- Paper liners
- Parchment paper
Ingredients You Will Need to Make Zucchini Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
(Scroll to the Recipe Card for Quantity of Ingredients)
- flour
- white sugar
- ground cinnamon
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
- shredded zucchini (1 medium)
- egg
- canola or vegetable oil
- vanilla
- whipped cream cheese
- Optional additions: 1/2 cup chopped nut, 1/2 chocolate chips, 1/2 coconut
- Garnish topping: Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
- Powdered Sugar or Homemade Cream Cheese frosting
- Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting:
- whipped cream cheese
- unsalted butter softened
- powdered sugar sifted
- milk
Cream Cheese Filling
It's easier to use whipped cream cheese for the filling than regular that's been softened.
The cream cheese bakes perfectly into the batter.
I prefer to keep the cream cheese filling plain and simple, however, you can add some sugar to the whipped cream cheese if you like sweeter desserts.
I just randomly drop a small amount of the cheese evenly over the top of half the batter then cover the cream cheese filling with the rest of the batter on top.
Pin for later Zucchini Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
More Recipes We Love
Chocolate or Regular Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Almond Poppy Seed Cake
Pumpkin Zucchini Spice Bars
Summer Spring or Fall
This cake is a delight all year long, it won't matter if it's zucchini season and this cake makes the colors for an easy Christmas holiday dessert.
This zucchini cake is perfect for entertaining and don't forget to check out the many topping suggestions above to dress it up or dress it down.
The cake even looks pretty decorated for any holiday theme.
The perfect cake anytime!
Zucchini Banana Cream Cheese Filled Cake
Yield: 1 cake or loaf or 12 muffins
prep time: 10 Mcook time: 40 Mtotal time: 50 M
This is a filled zucchini, banana cake with cream cheese inside. The cake is dense, moist and delicious almost like a quick bread and a great recipe for muffins or loaves. This zucchini cake will also make great gifts in mini pans.
ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (1 medium)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
- Optional additions: 1/2 cup chopped nut, 1/2 chocolate chips, 1/2 coconut
- Garnish topping: Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture
- Powdered Sugar or Homemade Cream Cheese frosting
- Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk
instructions:
How to cook Zucchini Banana Cream Cheese Filled Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 or 3-inch deep square pan heavily or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the bananas, zucchini, egg, oil, and vanilla together and set aside ( if using additions IE nuts, chocolate, coconut add to this bowl).
- In another clean bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Drop small amounts of whipped cream on top randomly.
- Add the rest of the batter on top.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake just begins to turn brown on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean in the center.
- Cool completely.
- Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar or the cake can be drizzled with cream cheese frosting.
- Instructions for Homemade Frosting Recipe:
- In a medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with an electric beater and mix until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly on top of cooled cake.
Calories
283
283
Fat (grams)
22
22
Sat. Fat (grams)
9
9
Carbs (grams)
25
25
Net carbs
16
16
Sugar (grams)
32
32
Pin for later Zucchini Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
Some Savory Zucchini Recipes We Love
Zucchini Rollatini
Best Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Ricotta Casserole