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Zucchini Walnut Coffee Cake

Zucchini Coffee Cake

This zucchini walnut coffee cake proves that an overwhelming garden harvest can turn into a genuinely impressive breakfast bake. This zucchini coffee cake recipe layers a chewy oat crumble over a moist, spiced squash batter, delivering everything a proper zucchini streusel coffee cake should taste like. Whether served for a relaxed Sunday brunch or sliced as an afternoon snack, this summer zucchini coffee cake earns a permanent spot in the seasonal baking rotation.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Breakfast, Coffee Cake
Cuisine: American
Calories: 223
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • BATTER:
  • 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2-1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 2 medium)
  • Confectioners' sugar

Equipment

  • 10-inch fluted tube pan
  • Box grater
  • Mixing bowls

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with cooking spray; dust lightly with flour, tapping out excess.
  2. Mix first five ingredients with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle onto bottom of prepared pan.
  3. For batter, mix oats, flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until crumbly; beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Add oat mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well (batter will be thick). Fold in zucchini. Pour over crumb mixture.
  4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature; dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Recipe Notes

Zucchini: I shred it without peeling and squeeze out excess moisture if previously frozen.
Butter: I always soften mine, never melt it, for the crumb and batter.
Sour cream: I use reduced-fat or full-fat interchangeably.
Cooling: I let the cake cool exactly 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Storage: I dust confectioners' sugar only on slices being served immediately.