OMG this cake. I know AK readers are the biggest lemon lovers. This gorgeous lemon blueberry zucchini cake truly took my lemon desserts to the next level — and for good reason too…THIS CAKE IS SIMPLY AMAZING.
It’s made in one bowl, and baked in one pan (no need to layer!). You’d never guess that it’s gluten-free and made with zucchini! I’m telling you, this healthy lemon blueberry cake is next level.
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Lemon blueberry zucchini cake ingredients
This delicious gluten-free lemon zucchini cake is made with fresh, healthy produce like zucchini, lemons and blueberries, and is gluten free thanks to almond & oat flour. Just wait until you try that lemon buttercream. YUM. It’s easily dairy free, too! Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Zucchini: shredded zucchini adds the perfect amount of moisture to this cake so that we don’t have to use any oil. Be sure to measure the shredded zucchini, then squeeze it of excess moisture.
- Eggs: you’ll need two eggs in this cake recipe.
- Honey: this healthy blueberry zucchini cake is naturally sweetened with honey! You could also use pure maple syrup if you prefer but I love the honey + lemon combo.
- Lemon: we’re using both lemon juice and lemon zest for the ultimate lemon flavor.
- Flour: to keep this cake gluten free we’re using fine, blanched almond flour and gluten free oat flour. It’s one of my favorite combos! See below for how to easily make it yourself!
- Baking staples: don’t forget the baking soda, salt, and a little almond extract for that delicious cake flavor.
- Blueberries: pile in fresh, juicy blueberries. Yes, please!
- For the frosting: the lemon buttercream is made up of butter (or vegan butter), powdered sugar, lemon juice & lemon zest.
Can I use a different flour?
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a substitute for the almond flour in this healthy lemon zucchini cake as it’s the only “fat” in this recipe that helps keep the cake moist and retain its texture. For the oat flour, I think regular flour or a gluten free 1:1 flour would work well, but please note that I haven’t tested it myself.
How to make homemade oat flour
You can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing gluten free oats into a blender and blending or pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble flour. This is a super easy & affordable option. Be sure to measure out 1 cup of your oat flour after making it! It’s also important to make sure your oat flour is VERY fine. Check out my tutorial with all of my best tips & tricks.
If you want to keep this cake gluten free, I suggest using gluten free oats to make your oat flour.
Tips for baking this cake perfectly every time
- Squeeze out ALL of the zucchini moisture. This will ensure that the zucchini cake bakes up well and isn’t too moist. First measure the zucchini, then squeeze it of excess moisture before adding it to the batter.
- Zest your lemons before juicing them. This makes it much easier to get all of the zest from the rind!
- Coat your blueberries. I recommend tossing the blueberries in a bit of oat flour before mixing them into the batter. This will ensure that the cake doesn’t turn completely blue and that the blueberries don’t fall to the bottom.
- Make it dairy-free (if you’d like). Simply use a vegan buttery stick in the frosting, or swap for your favorite dairy free frosting & add a little lemon zest + lemon juice.
How to store this lemon zucchini cake
This gluten-free cake can actually be made 1-2 days ahead of time! You can also store it after you’ve frosted the cake, too.
- To store: feel free to keep the cake at room temp for one day. After that, I recommend storing the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: feel free to freeze this cake either frosted or unfrosted for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it unfrosted for best results. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and then placing the cake in a zip-top freezer bag. When you’re ready to serve it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, let the cake come to room temperature, frost it and serve it.
Tools you’ll need
- Mixing bowls
- Lemon zester
- Lemon juicer
- Zucchini grater
- Cheesecloth
- Whisk
- Parchment paper
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 8×8 inch pan
- Hand mixer
Check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials here.
More zucchini recipes you’ll love
- The Best Zucchini Brownies You’ll Ever Eat
- Spiced Zucchini Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Healthy Marbled Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
- Nourishing Banana Bread Zucchini Breakfast Cookies (vegan!)
- Buffalo Zucchini Chicken Burgers
Get all of our amazing zucchini recipes here!
I hope you love this easy lemon blueberry zucchini cake recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Stay tuned for more zucchini recipes all week, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake (gluten-free)
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (168g) honey
- zest from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup (168g) packed blanched fine almond flour
- ¾ cup (71g) gluten free oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the blueberries:
- 1 (150g) heaping cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons gluten free oat flour
- For the lemon frosting:
- ½ cup (113g) butter (or sub vegan buttery stick), at room temperature
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- To garnish:
- Extra blueberries for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prep your pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Prep the zucchini. First, measure out 1 cup of shredded zucchini, then place shredded zucchini in a paper towel or cheese cloth and squeeze out all of the moisture/water. This is very important!
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add shredded zucchini, eggs, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract to a large bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- Add dry ingredients: almond flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Add the blueberries. In a separate medium bowl, toss blueberries together with 2 tablespoons of oat flour. (This is to prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.) Fold coated blueberries into the batter.
- Bake the cake. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. I know this is difficult but it’s critical (otherwise the frosting will melt and become a gooey mess!)
- Make the frosting. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together on high with a hand mixer or in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Garnish with a few blueberries. Cut into 9 slices and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on August 4, 2020, republished on June 4, 2021, republished on May 24th, 2023, and republished on August 21st, 2025.
Hi Monique
The sole puporse of 2 tbsp oat flour is to only coat the blueberries so they don’t sink to the bottom right? Or oat flour coating also absorb water from blueberries?
Hi! The oat flour is to both prevent the blueberries from sinking and prevent them from turning the cake blue when they release their juices while baking.
Hi,
I tried it out, it was amazing, can I replace blueberries with raspberries? to make a lemon raspberry cake?
But I also need the cake to be sweeter with slight tang, will it work out?
Glad you enjoyed! Yes, raspberries will work, or you can try this lemon raspberry cake.
Hi,
Can I use frozen raspberries and do I need to thaw them?
Im not gettting fresh raspberries and since raspberries are sour than blueberries, can I increase honey by 2 tablespoons to increase sweetness?
I’d recommend thawing them and then draining off the liquid before adding to the batter. And yes, that increase should work okay!
yummo !! this is delicious !
i read in the notes about flour substitution.
i’m gluten free and can’t eat oat flour and my daughter is not free.
I substituted the almond flour with Gluten free flour and the oat flour with coconut flour.
I also baked in a square shallow tin.
It turned out wonderful.
great recipe thankyou !
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect treat 🙂
Hi,
Can I skip blueberries and make just a simple lemon zucchini cake, in that do I need to add in that additional 2 tbsp oat flour for coating or omit it?
Yes, that should work! No need to add the extra flour for coating.
This cake is my new favorite cake! It’s amazing! Such a delicious sweet but light flavor profile and texture. I subbed all purpose GF flour for the oat flour and it worked great. I’ve made this cake twice in 4 days because my family is going through it so fast! It’s SO SO GOOD and so easy to make! Thank you for this! It will be a new staple dessert or sweet breakfast treat for us!
One of our all-time favs, too! So happy you all loved it!
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes! I recommend thawing them, draining off the liquid, then tossing them in flour before mixing them into the batter.
Could I make this in a 9×5 loaf pan?
I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure what the bake time would be!
This is one of my favorite cakes and I make it often. It’s quick, easy and delicious. I have a lot of cherries and I’m inspired to make a cherry almond version. My question is, is the lemon juice only used for flavoring or does it also activate the baking soda? Do you think 1 teaspoon would be enough?
That sounds amazing! The lemon juice also activates the baking soda, so I’d recommend sticking with the recipe as written for the base of the cake.
I usually have no problem following recipes but man I really messed this one up. 😭 I knew it was going to be bad when my batter was like a bread dough… Does this mean I just used too much flour do you think? The flavors were all there, honestly it still turned out delicious, but I am lost! Wondering if I just packed in way too much almond flour. I did substitute AP flour for oat. At 30 min my cake was gooey in the middle and had jagged, crispy peaks on top. I tried to save the batter with more honey and lemon juice but it just turned out so weird. I’ll have to try again.
Hi! I don’t recommend substituting the oat flour for another flour – that’s likely what changed the texture!
Absolutely delicious!! Thank you!
I wish I could give you an honest opinion on your wonderful looking blue Betty zucchini cake but the recipe defeats me. I am English….sorry & can not make head nor tail of your measurements of ingredients. I went on to google for help. Definitely confused. Com. In know I am 86 but not senile. I can buy spoons & cups in local stores but they don’t tell you what sizes of cups or spoons on the items I buy. Almond flour. Is it ground flour.
Oatmeal Flour I have foundthe oatmeal but can’t measure it. I can understand metric & pounds & ounces but sticks of butter I’m lost.
I am not criticising you but the worlrld is not just America. your great reccipies are not available because we are not on the same page. Any suggestions. as to a soloution. I know I am missing out. Toni T. You .
Hi Toni! We’re working to manually add metric measurements to all of our baking recipes here. Thanks so much for your patience as we keep working on this!
This recipe is outstanding! It is so flavorful and moist. I will definitely be making it again. I made a simple lemon icing with powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. Even a dusting of powdered sugar would be great if you don’t want the lemon frosting. Thank you!
Love that! Such a great treat for spring and summer 🙂
Can I skip the frosting?
Sure!
Can I sub frozen wild blueberries?
Sure! I’d recommend thawing them and draining off any liquid beforehand.
I’ve been wanting to try this lemon blueberry zucchini cake for ages and I finally did today. Let me tell you I’m SO glad I did. THIS CAKE WAS SO DAMN GOOD!!! Best gluten free cake I’ve ever had, and it’s even good for you, too!! Thank you for all you do, I love Ambitious Kitchen!!!
Amazing!! So glad you loved it!
Truly one of my favorite recipes – nutty, almondy, lemony, and just the right level of sweetness.
Absolutely! So bright and delicious 🙂
Hi! I love this cake so much. I’m going to make it into regular sized cupcakes. Any suggestions on temp and cook time?
Hi! I would keep the baking temp the same but start at 18 minutes to see how done they look. Watch carefully so that they don’t overbake!
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Totally unreal – nice work! Made if for a birthday and it came out beautifully. Thank you!
Delish!! Glad this cake is a hit, Jennifer ❤️
SO DELICIOUS, CRAZY ADDICTING.
Ah! I am so glad you’re loving this cake + frosting, such a delicious treat 😍
Hi, this looks delicious! Can you use frozen blueberries for this recipe?
I came upon this recipe because I needed to use some zucchinis I bought – and I had never used them before in baking! I took another reviewer’s suggestion and made them into muffin and baked for 20 minutes. I could have eaten all 12 muffins in one sitting – THE best muffins I have had in a very long time. Not too sweet, very moist, the lemon/lemon zest is key. Like many, I didn’t make the frosting, and it was just perfect. Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes.
Ahh this is seriously the best! I am so glad you are loving this recipe and the muffins turned out great for you.
A cross between blueberry muffin and blueberry pie. Omg. This dessert is to die for. I am refined sugar free and gluten free, so I was happy that the only sweetener was honey, which I cut in half. It was delectable. And guilt free! And it’s healthy with zucchini, right? =)
Very tasty! I shared with my coworkers and I only heard positive comments between mouthfuls! I like how the oats and almond flour hold the cake together – more so than using regular flours in other recipes.
YUM! So glad this recipe is a hit for everyone 🙂
I didn’t use the frosting but this recipe is amazing! The family loved it!
So glad it was a hit!
For years my late mother made everything with her huge zucchini crop each year— nothing came close to this delicious, moist cake! Brava
The perfect way to use up lots of zucchini! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Amazing! It is the perfect summer cake. Moist, vibrant. And comes together so well. Followed the recipe exactly as written and it was wonderful. Will definitely make this on repeat.
One Q, I made it in an 8×8 as outlined. Can it also be made in an 8 inch round?
Can’t wait for you to share more delicious cakes!
Yum! I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Danielle. I haven’t tried it in an 8in round, but I assume it would work just fine. Let me know how it turns out!
Hey, nice recipe.
I did pick your own blueberries that I really wanted to use in a dessert! I’ve also been on a lemon kick lately so this recipe was just what I wanted. I ended up doubling the cake recipe and putting it in 2 round pans in order to make a layer cake. It is so pretty and delicious! I didn’t have the oat flour so l used regular flour along with the almond flour and found no issue. I also subbed vanilla extract for almond.
I was worried there would be a strong zucchini taste but like other comments said it isn’t at all! It’s lovely lemon with fresh blueberries. Lastly, I usually try and avoid frostings that are predominantly a bunch of powdered sugar as they are usually too sweet for me, but paired with the barely there sweetness of the cake it was a perfect match in my opinion!
Delicious! I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you. Fresh picked blueberries are the best for this recipe 🫐
This sounded delicious, was so easy to make, freezes really well…but…most of all, is sooo delicious!!!. Thank you
I only recently found your page and love it.
Yay! I am so glad you’re here and enjoying this recipe!
So delicious! The cake is moist and just so pretty. Can’t wait to try the orange cake recipe!
I’m thrilled to hear you loved it, Rachel!! And YES omg you need to try the orange zucchini cake ASAP 😍
Are frozen blueberries ok?
I think it should work fine with frozen blueberries. I’d recommend coating them with 2 tablespoons of oat flour to prevent them from sinking. Hope you love it!
Was surprised that there wasn’t coconut oil or butter. I think it could benefit. Tasted egg heavy. Followed directions. Love all the other recipes!!!
Not sure what might have gone wrong, they definitely shouldn’t have tasted like egg.
I made this cake it came out truly moist I made it without the frosting and it was great I’m going to make it again tomorrow .I was wondering without the frosting what will the nutritional value be? since there is no frosting I imagine the sugar value will be less? I put less then half a cup of honey and still was sweet enough for me.
Hi Lina – So glad to hear you’re loving this recipe. Yes, the sugar will be less without the frosting, you could add it to a nutritional calculator for the correct info!
This has really nice flavor. I am not sure what happened to mine, but I baked it for 50 minutes and then I finally sliced it in half lengthwise and baked another 20 minutes to get it cooked through the middle. Nice frosting and the blueberries on top give a great pop of flavor that shouldn’t be skipped. I appreciate your yummy and healthy recipes!
Interesting, I am not sure what might have happened. What type of pan did you use? Glad it turned out for you though ❤️
So good and fresh! Perfect for spring and Easter. Everyone loved it 🙂
Yay! I am so excited this recipe is a hit!
Coconut sugar?
This cake is unreal, and comes together super quickly. the texture, flavor, everything is just perfect. I added about 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and maybe a tablespoon of Greek yogurt to the frosting to add flavor and cut the sweetness a bit.
I loved it!!!
Very easy to make, did not change any ingredients or amounts only swapped butter in icing for cream cheese.
Whole family enjoyed the cake, very moist but not cloggy,
Will defiantly make it again
I made the cake about a month ago and it is amazingly delicious! I want to make it again tonight but do not have any zucchini, what do you think I could use a a replacement? Carrots? I live out of town and won’t make it to the grocery store in time.
Thank you.
One of the best recipes I have found for the making of lemon blueberry zucchini cake. Keep it the good job.
Thanks so much! Happy to hear you are loving this recipe, Ravi.
nice post..
Not sure what happened but my cake came out quite wet 🙁 Tastes good though. Maybe i’ll put it in the fridge/freezer and see it if firms up a bit more.
Sorry to hear that! Did you squeeze out ALL of the moisture in your zucchini?