These Zucchini Cupcakes are moist, delicate, and fluffy! You probably can eat them plain, add a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or excessive them with cream cheese frosting.

Hand sprinkling crushed pistachios on top of a zucchini cupcake frosted with cream cheese frosting.

Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The difficulty: selfmade cupcakes are liable to drying out after a day or two, leaving all of us cupcake lovers sadly consuming crumbly, dry cupcakes. The reply: pack these cupcakes with ZUCCHINI, bay-bee!

Zucchini is the final phrase “moist-maker” (shoutout to Buddies for that reference) when it comes to baked gadgets. No further choking down dry cupcakes whereas a single solitary tear runs down your cheek–the pure moisture from this shredded vegetable produces a supremely clean and tender cupcake, with endurance for DAYS. Prime them off with my Lime Cream Cheese Frosting and a sprinkling of crushed pistachios to make the correct take care of.

Flip Zucchini Cupcakes into Bread

But another bonus to this recipe: it moreover makes an superior loaf of zucchini bread! Yep, this exact same recipe could possibly be baked in a 2lb bread pan, to benefit from delicious zucchini bread you’ve ever had. Uncover the whole instructions in my Easy Zucchini Bread publish, attempt it every strategies, after which inform me which method you prefer to have your zucchini! (Hint: consuming it plain is simply not an risk 😉 )

Zucchini Cupcake in brown liner on a white cupcake stand, topped with cream cheese frosting and crushed pistachios.

Desk of Contents

🧾 What You’ll Need

Overhead shot of ingredients needed to make Zucchini Cupcakes.

Elements

My zucchini cupcake recipe is a bit completely completely different than most–I like together with some lime zest to brighten them and add a secondary style. In case you’re not a lime lover, it’s best to use lemon or orange, or omit it fully, nevertheless I urge you to take care of an open ideas, because of I really feel they solely might shock you! Proper right here’s what else you’ll should make these cupcakes: (Hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks and I earn a small price from qualifying purchases.)

  • Zucchini: We’re using 2 cups of zucchini (which is roughly 1 medium zucchini) on this delicious take care of. The zucchini offers tons of moisture to the bread too, for an amazingly clean texture!
  • Lime zest: this ingredient might come as a shock, nevertheless I like together with the good pop of lime style to my zucchini bread. In case you don’t have limes, you probably can swap in lemon or orange zest, or omit it fully. It is best to use frequent limes or key limes on this recipe. Not sure what makes them completely completely different . . . strive my detailed publish about what makes an on a regular basis lime completely completely different from a key lime!
  • All-purpose flour: “Widespread” flour, aka all-purpose, is what we’re using to current the bread its development. I prefer to advocate actually weighing the flour (and all of your parts!) for a further appropriate consequence, nevertheless you may additionally spoon it into the measuring cup and gently diploma it off.
  • Baking soda and baking powder: you need every leavening brokers to create a splendidly delicate however moist texture.
  • Oil neutral canola oil retains the flavour focus on the zucchini and lime.
  • Brown sugar: brown sugar provides the cake a deeper style and helps keep it moist. It is best to use darkish or delicate brown sugar.
  • Eggs: the eggs have to be at room temperature. Each permit them to sit down out for 20-Half-hour, or submerge them in a bowl of warmth water for a few minutes to warmth them up shortly.
Zucchini cupcake in a dark brown wrapper, with cream cheese frosting and crushed pistachios on top.

Instruments

The instruments guidelines is temporary, and full of belongings you could private already! (Hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks and I earn a small price from qualifying purchases.)

  • Cupcake Pan: I exploit a standard-sized cupcake pan. It is best to use one different dimension, nevertheless the baking time shall be affected.
  • Cupcake Scoop: a cupcake scoop is a wonderful clear and easy choice to portion out the batter.
  • Piping Baggage and Piping Tip: using a piping bag with a piping tip is among the many greatest to get fully frosted cupcakes.
  • Grater: a grater is an efficient strategy to get small shreds of zucchini to incorporate into the batter.
  • Microplane: I exploit a microplane to zest the lime, nevertheless a efficient cheese grater moreover works.
  • Hand Mixer: you probably can mix your batter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Merely make sure to not over-mix in any other case you’ll end up with highly effective, gummy cupcakes!

📋 Instructions

These zucchini cupcakes are ready in merely over Half-hour! Get a printable mannequin of this recipe throughout the recipe card beneath.

Two-photo collage showing how to mix the ingredients to make zucchini cupcakes.
  • In a bowl, mix collectively brown sugar, eggs, and oil. Use a whisk to beat until clear. In a separate bowl, mix collectively flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • Slowly add the flour mixture to the moist batter. Mix until no streaks keep.
Two-photo collage showing how to add grated zucchini and lime zest to zucchini cupcake batter.
  • Use the grater to shred the zucchini into small shreds, then add that to the batter along with the lime zest.
  • Mix by hand until combined.
Two-photo collage showing scooping and baking zucchini cupakes.
  • Portion the batter out proper right into a lined cupcake pan. Fill each liner about 1/2-2/3 full.
  • Bake the cupcakes at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until they’re frivolously golden. Cool totally, then add the frosting.
Overhead shot of zucchini cupcakes with lime cream cheese frosting and chopped pistachios.

💭 Variations

Keep on with the distinctive recipe, or mix points up a bit with these variation ideas!

  • Spice points up. Be pleased in order so as to add 1 tsp of cinnamon to the batter somewhat than the citrus zest to make spiced cupcakes for fall.
  • Add nuts. Mix in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans for some extra crunch.
  • Make them chocolatey. Mini chocolate chips could be a perfect addition as successfully.
  • Use one different zest. Not a fan of lime zest? Swap it out for lemon or orange zest—or just go away it our fully! Love the entire citrus? Strive further of my recipes using citrus!
  • Use one different frosting. These cupcakes model delicious with the cream cheese frosting, because of who doesn’t love any recipe using cream cheese. Nonetheless, they’d even be good topped with completely different sorts of frosting, similar to buttercream or chocolate bitter cream frosting.
  • Style the frosting. This cream cheese frosting recipe could possibly be merely tailor-made for various flavors. You probably can substitute the limes for lemons or flip it proper right into a vanilla frosting by together with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. It is also doable to attempt together with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for a cinnamon frosting.
Zucchini cupcake cut in half, on a pink plate with a gold fork next to it.

💡 Concepts and FAQs  

  • Use flavorless oil. We used oil as a substitute of butter, because of it yields a superb delicate crumb, which is delicious. I prefer to advocate sticking to a flavorless oil similar to vegetable oil. Olive oil will not work proper right here as it’s doable so that you can to model it.
  • Don’t dry the zucchini! Although it may be tempting, do not squeeze the water from the zucchini after you grate it. That water makes these cupcakes so insanely moist. Their delicate, clean, and moist texture is part of what makes them so darn good.
  • Use full fat cream cheese. In case you’re making the cream cheese frosting, ensure you employ full-fat cream cheese blocks. In some other case the frosting shall be skinny and runny.
  • Convey the butter and cream cheese to room temp. Sooner than you begin, carry the butter and cream cheese to room temperature. This ensures a silky clear frosting with no lumps.
  • Alter the texture if wished. The consistency of this frosting is barely thinner for sweet breads than you’d want for cupcakes. If it seems too clean, merely add further powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time). It is also doable to refrigerate for half an hour or so which might help the frosting to rearrange.
Do you permit the pores and pores and skin on zucchini for cupcakes?

Yep! Although you probably can peel it for individuals who favor, there’s no need. It merely offers a further step.

How one can Retailer:

These zucchini cupcakes will closing unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature for as a lot as 4 days. They are often saved throughout the freezer for as a lot as 1 month. As quickly as they’re frosted, they could closing for as a lot as each week throughout the fridge. Evidently they could dry out throughout the fridge, so the sooner you get pleasure from them, the upper.

The cream cheese frosting could possibly be made and saved in an airtight container throughout the fridge for as a lot as 4 days or throughout the freezer for as a lot as 1 month. Defrost throughout the fridge in a single day.

Close-up of zucchini cupcake frosted with cream cheese frosting, with a big bite taken out of it.

❤️ Further Cupcake Favorites to Try

Looking out for further fulfilling cupcake recipes to attempt? Listed below are only a few of my favorites!

Three pumpkin spice cupcakes, the one in the front has a bite taken out of it.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

These quick and easy pumpkin cupcakes are the correct model of fall! 

View Recipe

A stack of zucchini bread frosted with cream cheese frosting, with a hand lifting up the top piece of bread.

Easy Zucchini Bread

This Easy  Zucchini Bread recipe is among the greatest methods to get pleasure from zucchini! It’s a straightforward one-bowl recipe that’s fast to make, and it tastes good with cream cheese frosting, or by itself.

View Recipe

Don’t miss the step-by-step tutorial exhibiting the proper strategy to make Zucchini Cupcakes – strive the web story proper right here!

Depart a Analysis!

In case you make this recipe, inform us! Depart a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe beneath, and go away a comment, take {a photograph} and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!

  • For the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 ranges Fahrenheit. Line 20 cupcake cavities with paper liners.

  • Put the brown sugar, eggs, and canola oil proper right into a mixing bowl. Use {an electrical} mixer to beat them collectively until clear.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

  • With the mixer engaged on low, slowly add the dry parts, and mix merely until combined. Stop mixing whenever you probably cannot see the streaks of flour.

  • Add the grated zucchini and lime zest, and fold into the batter gently by hand.

  • Divide the mix between 20 cupcake liners.

  • Put the cupcake pan into the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are frivolously golden and actually really feel springy to the contact.

  • Take away from the oven and allow to totally cool sooner than frosting.

For the frosting:

  • Put the room temperature butter into the bowl of a hand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to beat until creamy.

  • Add the cream cheese and mix as soon as extra until combined.

  • Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating successfully between each addition.

  • When the entire powdered sugar has been included, add the lime zest and lime juice, and beat until combined. You may want in order so as to add further powdered sugar until you attain the required consistency.

  • To frost the cupcakes, swap the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a giant star tip, and pipe a swirl on excessive of each cupcake.

  • Scatter pistachios extreme of the frosted cupcakes to brighten, if desired.

  • Zucchini cupcakes will closing unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature for as a lot as 4 days. They are often saved throughout the freezer for as a lot as 1 month. As quickly as they’re frosted, they could closing for as a lot as each week throughout the fridge. The cream cheese frosting could possibly be made and saved in an airtight container throughout the fridge for as a lot as 4 days or throughout the freezer for as a lot as 1 month. Defrost throughout the fridge in a single day.

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we extraordinarily advocate using a kitchen scale for baking every time doable. Nonetheless, for individuals who favor to utilize cups, amount measurements are provided as successfully. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t match this technique.

Must be taught further about baking measurements and conversion?

Power: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Ldl ldl cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Snap a pic and hashtag it #SugarHero. We prefer to see your creations on our Instagram @elabau.
Two photo collage of Zucchini Cupcakes with text overlay for Pinterest.

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