Zucchini Cake

If you don't like mixing your greens and sweets, this one probably isn't for you.
But let me try twist your arm - you just don't know what you're missing!

I have been wanting to make a zucchini cake for a very long time now.
And this one definitely gets the green-light  😋

It's very similar to carrot cake - you actually don't taste the zucchini.
You get lovely flecks of green throughout the cake, though; and if you add pistachios, they give a great extra dimension of flavour.
(I'd say, go with the pistachios unless you have a particular aversion to them).
And, like carrot cake,  it pairs beautifully with cream cheese icing.

I also made the batter into muffins, and popped them into my kids' lunch boxes - no returns, and no questions about why there were green flecks in them, either!

FYI: Zucchini = baby marrow = courgette

Zucchini Cake
Recipe adapted from Simplyrecipes.com

Preheat the oven to 180'C
Grease and line 3 x 7inch round baking pans *(or 2 x 8inch)

Ingredients
360g cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
250g caster sugar
3 large eggs
250ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
475g finely grated zucchini  (squeeze out excess moisture if necessary), no need to peel.
100g chopped pistachios (optional/ substitute with pecans)

Method

Sift the flour, spices, salt and raising agents together; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla extract and oil.

With the mixer on low speed, stir in the sifted dry ingredients, followed by the zucchini and pistachios, if using.

Divide the mixture equally between the baking pans.
Bake at 180'C for approx 30min or until the centre of the cake springs back when touched.
*Baking time depends on the size and number of baking pans used.
 If baking as muffins, 20 minutes should be sufficient.

For icing a cake you'll need a double batch of cream cheese icing - recipe here .
If you're going to just fill between layers, though, a single batch should be sufficient.

And I had this idea that a zucchini cake should be decorated with a succulent ... so there it is!

Happy baking!

xxM