Whatever you’re thinking of when you hear ‘zucchini cake’, we can bet it doesn’t come close to the taste of the real thing.

This cake is definitely inspired by the classic carrot variety – who can go past a good cream cheese icing – but there are a few surprises too. The best bit is how moist the zucchini makes the cake. When baked on a large shallow sheet, it’s the perfect thing for a little morning or afternoon tea pick me up. It’s also perfect, dare we say it, for sharing.

  Zucchini Cake

ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 115g coconut oil, softened
• 100g dark chocolate, melted
• 120g applesauce
• 170g white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 180g wholemeal flour
• 120g ground almonds
• t tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 240g grated zucchini
• 1 pinch of lemon zest
  

  For the cream:

• 250g cottage cheese
• 50g butter, melted
• 100g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of lemon zest

method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a large baking pan (we used one that measured 33cmx23cmx5cm) or line with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, softened coconut oil, applesauce, sugar, melted chocolate and vanilla sugar to a uniform mass. Sift in flour, then add ground almonds, baking powder, lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well to combine. Add the zucchini and mix well, so that the zucchini is evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
4. While the cake cools, stir together the ingredients for the cream and then spread on the cake. Top with some more lemon zest, if you like.

Happy Cooking 😀