This pretty vegan Zucchini Cake with Orange Marmalade Glaze is moist and delicious with the delicate flavors of zucchini and orange juice. Walnuts add welcome crunch and texture. You can make this cake whole-wheat to keep it healthy.
Spring is a great time to bake, because it's not yet so hot that you don't even want to think about turning the oven on, and there are all these great veggies around to bake with, like rhubarb and zucchini. And because zucchini is just so darn versatile, making a great addition to dishes savory and sweet, I always make sure I have it around as the weather warms up.
This golden, sumptuous vegan Zucchini Cake with Orange Marmalade Glaze is one of my favorite recipes so far this year.
If you love vegan zucchini bread -- and who doesn't? -- you will truly adore this zucchini cake. This is not your grandma's zucchini cake, as delicious as that may be; it's the elegant, modern version of it: still delicious, but utterly good looking as well.
I baked this cake in a bundt pan for the pretty look. You could use a regular cake pan or a tube pan. The batter is not enough to rise to the size of a full bundt cake, but I love the fluted ring shape. It just looks more special.
You can also bake this zucchini cake into cupcakes or mini bundt cakes. In that case, reduce baking time to around 25 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.
This makes the perfect dessert or a healthy snack for my little one when he gets home from school. Or for the adults among us looking for a decadent dessert that has a small halo of goodness to it.
More vegan cake recipes
- Gluten-free Vegan Berry Almond Flour Cake
- Vegan Rhubarb Ginger Upside-Down Cake
- Vegan Squash Cake with Pineapple Frosting
- Vegan Orange Cake with Orange Marmalade Buttercream
- Vegan Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
- Vegan Cucumber Cake
Vegan Zucchini Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake tin or bundt pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini, grated (About 2 medium zucchini)
- 1 cup pulpy orange juice (I toss some oranges into the blender and blitz them)
- 2 tablespoon applesauce
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup walnuts (finely chopped)
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (can use whole wheat pastry flour or a mix for a wholegrain version)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- 2 tablespoon water (if feeling adventurous, use Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur instead)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix orange juice, ginger, applesauce, vanilla and olive oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until everything is moistened. If the batter looks dry at this point, don't worry-- the zucchini will express tons of moisture.
- Fold in the zucchini and the walnuts.
- Grease and flour a fluted bundt pan, tube pan or 9-inch cake pan. Scrape the batter into the pan and make sure it's evenly spread.
- Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove to a rack, and unmold the cake after letting it stand 10 minutes.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze by mixing the marmalade with 2 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan. Heat until bubbly, then brush onto the warm cake. Let the cake cool thoroughly before slicing and serving.
Recipe notes
- For a nut-free version, leave out the walnuts.
- If baking into cupcakes or mini-bundts, set the oven to bake for 25 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick. Bake longer if you get moist batter on the toothpick.
Brigitte
I baked this cake today , I didn’t squeeze the water out of the zucchinis , I used 2/3 cup of sugar less oil more like 1/3 cup I added more apple sauce like 1 table spoon to replace the oil . The batter was thin not thick , I added the zest of an orange and 1 tsp cinnamon . The cake was sweet enough the taste was very good the texture was way too soft . I will make this again , I would advise anyone to squeeze some liquid save it and add it if you need it . I believe my batter was too runny from the zucchinis , it was like a cake pudding texture after it was baked , I didn’t mind it because I know there was no eggs so I can’t really get sick from it , it almost look like it was underbaked but the toothpick came out super clean after 45 minutes .
ida
Absolutely incredible!! Very moist cake and the flavors are spot-on perfect. I substituted Monk Fruit sweetener for the sugar as my husband is diabetic and I left everything else as stated in recipe. This is a definite winner and also a repeat!
Vaishali
So happy you loved it, Ida! Happy to also hear that it worked with monk fruit sweetener.
rsp
Great recipe! I didn't even fool around with a bundt pan. Yes it's prettier but the risk isn't worth it. Used the 9 inch pan. A note or two: homemade applesauce is SO easy. just cut up your apple(s), add a drop of water to get the process started and cook until it's completely soft. You don't even have to peel or core them if you have a food mill. Great way to use up past-their-prime apples. AND AND AND...Please, please would you consider using weight measurements for your baking recipes. So much easier. More accurate. A godsend for new bakers. More and more American kitchens use scales now. And you could have both weight AND volume. Thanks for all the delicious things you send my way.
Vaishali
Hi, so happy you loved it. And yes, I'm already adding weight in some recipes and will continue doing so. Thanks!
Jessica Eiss
Have you tried making this in a silicone bundt pan by any chance? I've made this twice this am, and both were failures for the timing. The first time, I did the time as you had posted, and didn't know the whole bottom was completely unbaked, so threw that away, and then the second one, I added 20 minutes and the bottom, which becomes the top broke away and was still gooey. I'm sure it's the silicone, but I'm not wasting the ingredients again, and we don't use oil, so there's no greasing pans for us. Maybe I'll try in a different metal pan with parchmentpaper.
Vaishali
Hi Jessica, I haven't made this in a silicone pan. I don't really like the way cakes turn out in those. I'd recommend baking in a metal pan for sure. Also make sure your oven temps are not off--ovens vary greatly even at the same temperature.
Irena
Dear Vaishali,
I just made your zucchini orange cake into muffins. I followed the recipe but I reduced the sugar to 1 cup and used ground ginger. I had to bake the muffins for 40 minutes. I really, really love them!
Thanks for the great recipe! I will be baking them on a regular basis!
Vaishali
Hi Irene, so happy you made this, and thanks for the feedback on the sugar!
Sri
This recipe is the bomb! I’ve made it a few times and always get such great compliments.. its super moist and such fresh flavors coming through. My picky daughter loves it so much that its a regular request at home. Additions I’ve made - pinch od cardamom powder and a tsp of orange essence.. for that extra citrusy flavor. Thank you!!
Sonja Francis
Amazing! My husband made this today. Lovely and moist and irresistable! I'm afraid we've eaten half of it already between us! Everytime I pass it on the work top, I have to have a slice. Thank you!
Vaishali
Awesome to hear that, thanks for letting me know! ?
Miranda
This sounds so amazing!! What other flavor marmalade do you think could work for this? I want to make a few of them and try different flavors!
Vaishali
You could try any citrus marmalades!
Ida
This lovely cake has been a huge hit at my house! My meat-eating husband did not miss the eggs nor did he believe that it was Vegan. Really moist and oh-so flavorful. I used orange liqueur in place of water for the glaze and this worked out perfectly
Ruth Eisenbud
Vaishali,
I recently had computer problems and spent 5 hours on the phone with Apple support. I was wondering why I hadn't received any recipes from you, so I checked your website and found I have not received the last four recipes. Something must have changed in my system... so could you please check to set up sending to me again.... There were no msgs from holycowvegan in my junk folder either.
Thank you, Ruth
Alka
Can we use any nut or seed butters instead of olive oil?
Ambica
Hi Alka,
I have subbed an equa amount of almond/ peanut butter for the oil in Vaishali’s banana cupcake recipe. You have to whisk it well with the applesauce first and then probably whisk in the OJ before adding to the dry.
Fifi
Did you have to squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini in a dishtowel before using the grated zucchini in the cake?
Vaishali
No! You need the moisture for the cake.
Lillian
I want to make this lovely looking and delicious-sounding cake! Would it work to sub canola oil for the olive oil? Thanks!
Vaishali
Yes! Canola oil is a perfectly good substitute.
Helen
Looks delicious!
Please let us know how much sugar to add it’s not in the ingredients list
Thank you
Vaishali
1 1/4 cups-- added now! Thanks.
Anonymous
This cake is awesome!!! Made cupcakes with apricot & orange Marmalade Glaze for a charity...received great reviews....