Cinnamon Swirl Zucchini Bundt Cake

4.60 from 10 votes

Posted: 08/12/20

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Moist, tender and delicious Zucchini Bundt Cake with a cinnamon swirl in the middle that is topped with a cinnamon glaze. This is a great way to use up your garden zucchini this summer. The perfect snack, dessert or treat with your morning coffee.

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Overhead image showing a spatula taking a slice of zucchini bundt cake out of ring that's sitting on a wire rack.

One of my favorite cakes to make during the summer is this zucchini bundt cake. It’s so moist, has a delicious cinnamon swirl and it’s a great way to use up all of the extra fresh zucchini that seems to pile up this time of year!

I’ve been making it for years and when I first created it I borrowed the cinnamon swirl idea from my cinnamon swirl banana bread and the glaze from my cinnamon frosted zucchini bars. It’s perfectly spiced, perfectly sweet, and has a really tender crumb. You’re going to love it!

Contents show

Why This Recipe Works:

Serve it for breakfast, brunch or dessert!
Perfect way to use up extra zucchini!
Moist and delicious.
Freezer Friendly.

Products Needed

Overhead image showing ingredients needed to make cake

Zucchini Bundt Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

Flour
Baking soda and baking powder
Ground cinnamon
Softened cream cheese
Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
Melted butter
Shredded zucchini

For the Cinnamon Swirl: You only need cinnamon and sugar for the swirl which you can mix in a small bowl.

For the Cinnamon Glaze: For the glaze, all you do is combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk together in a bowl. Wait to do this until after the cake is baked and cooled.

How to Make It

To make the batter, cream the cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time to the cream cheese mixture, mixing for one minute before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla and butter and mix for three minutes on medium-high speed.
Mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add the shredded zucchini and stir to combine.
Place half of the batter into a prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top. Pour the rest of the batter over the cinnamon layer.
Bake it for approximately one hour. Leave the cake in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a baking rack to cool completely.

Glass bowl full of zucchini cake batter.

Bundt Cake Pan with first layer of batter in it.

Don’t Forget the Cinnamon Glaze!

Once the cake is cooled, mix all of the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. You will want the glaze to be thin enough to spread but not so thin that it runs down the side of the cake.

Spoon the glaze over the cake. The glaze will harden as it sits.

Storage Tips

This cake will keep well for a few days at room temperature. Just keep it covered with plastic wrap.

You can also freeze it. If you do, make sure it’s fully cooled and don’t add the glaze. Tightly wrap it and it will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw it at room temperature and then add the glaze before you serve it.

Pro Tips

It will be a lot easier to cream the sugar and cream cheese if you start with softened, or room temperature, cream cheese. So be sure to leave it out for at least 30 minutes before making the batter.
When you add the flour and other dry ingredients to the batter be careful to not overmix! Mix long enough so the flour is absorbed. Reducing the amount of mixing will ensure your zucchini bundt cake has a soft and tender crumb!
For the zucchini, use a box grater or food processor to shred it. You don’t need to wring the zucchini before adding it to the batter – you want all of the moisture in the cake. I know many recipes instruct you to strain the liquid from the zucchini first, but for this one you don’t need to!
If your cinnamon glaze is too thick you can thin it with more milk, but only add a small amount at a time. You don’t want it too thin otherwise it will just run off the cake.
Make sure the cake is cooled before you glaze it. It’s it’s hot or warm it will absorb the glaze.

Slice of Zucchini Bundt Cake with a cinnamon layer in the middle on a white plate.

That cinnamon swirl in the middle is like a little surprise when you slice into the cake! Treat yourself to a slice with a chai tea or serve it for dessert with some Irish coffees! I hope you love it!

More Amazing Cake Recipes!

My Chocolate Zucchini Cake is another great way to use up all the summer zucchini! It’s a delicious snack cake or dessert.
Lemon Coconut Cake is an easy loaf cake that is bursting with lemon and coconut flavors!
For a sweet fall treat, you have to try my Pumpkin Angel Food Cake. It’s so light and airy and perfect with a dollop of whipped cream!
King Cake is a special cinnamon cake that is made for Mardi Gras and I show you how to make one from scratch!

Did you try this recipe and love it? I’d love it if you’d give it a rating below and comment.

If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!!

Meet Julie Evink

I'm here to help you win in the kitchen again! Life is Busy, Life is Crazy, but that doesn't mean you can't make your family dinner! Julie's goal is to provide you with easy, family, friendly recipes that use pantry staples. Dinnertime will be stress free again!