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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake

Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

Don’t get scared, hold on and stay with me for 1 minute, I can guarantee this cake will taste only of chocolate, you will not taste a gram of green or healthiness in this cake.

The name of this recipe says it all, I have taken key ingredients that you usually find in green smoothies that provide a pleather of varying health benefits and turned them into a cake. In fact, 12/16 of the ingredients in this cake are well known for their health benefits.

Don’t believe you can eat a nutritious cake and thoroughly enjoy it? The below is an example of a few ingredients that provides exactly that:

  • Zucchini – vitamin C & A, protein, fiber, potassium & folate
  • Spinach – vitamins A, B2, C and K, magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium & potassium
  • Dates – iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous & magnesium
  • Cocoa – lower blood pressure, improve blood flow & 3x the antioxidants than a cup of green tea
  • Cinnamon – lowers blood sugar and reduce heart disease risk factors
  • Ginger and Turmeric – anti-inflammatory qualities
  • Oatmeal – controls blood sugars, high in fiber and drops bad cholesterol
  • Avocado – vitamin C & E

 

Ingredients:

Cake batter:

  • 265g zucchini
  • 65g spinach
  • 65g dates
  • 240ml almond milk
  • 65g cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsn ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsn ground ginger
  • Pinch turmeric
  • 165g butter
  • 240g sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 30g oatmeal
  • 175g self-raising flour

Icing:

  • 1 large avocado (190g flesh)
  • 60g dates
  • 80ml honey
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 30g cocoa powder

Extra:

  • 35g dates, diced

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 x 25cm cake tins with baking paper.
  2. Grate the zucchini into a bowl and squeeze out 65ml of the zucchini liquid.
  3. Place in a food processor the spinach, dates and 120ml of the almond milk, blitz until smooth.
  4. Add the remaining 120ml of almond milk along with the cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric to the food processor. Blitz until smooth and well combine, add to the zucchini and stir to combine.
  5. Using electric beaters whisk the butter for 3 minutes or until pale in colour.
  6. Add the sugar to the butter and beat for 5 minutes until fluffy and light.
  7. Add the eggs, one at a time beating for at least 1 minute between each addition (mix should be light, pale and fluffy).
  8. Pour the oatmeal into the butter mix and sieve the self-raising flour into the mix.
  9. Add the almond milk wet mix and whisk with electric beaters on low until just combine.
  10. Spoon the mix evenly into the 2 prepared cake tins.
  11. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean.
  12. Leave the cakes in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack until cold.
  13. Meanwhile, make the icing by placing the avocado, dates, vanilla and honey into a food processor and blitz until well combine and smooth.
  14. Add the cocoa powder to the avocado mix and blitz until smooth and well combine.
  15. Place 1 cake onto a plate, top with 1/3rd of the icing.
  16. Add the 2nd cake on top and use the remaining icing on the top and sides of the cake, scatter with the additional dates for decoration, enjoy.

 

NOTE: For additional decoration only I have picked a few flowers for the garden and arranged on top of the cake.

 

Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Green Smoothie Chocolate Cake recipe

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Spiced Garden Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Spiced Garden Cake

Spiced Vegetable Cake recipe

In the past I have made many cake with veggies; a chocolate zucchini cake, spiced carrot cake, traditional Swedish apple cake, pumpkin and maple cake, pumpkin pie…and the list goes on.

All of these cakes were sooo tasty and are beautifully moist thanks to the vegetables.

I wanted to take baking with veggies to another level, it may sound weird and bland to have a cake based on a selection of common garden vegetables, however the mix of spices, zingy zest and satisfying inclusion of cream make this cake a unique hearty and nourishing treat.

This cake is also a great way to use up left over vegetables and turn them into a scrumptious dessert.

Spiced Vegetable Cake recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 215g flour
  • 230g brown sugar
  • 2 tsn ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsn ground mixed spice
  • 1/4 tsn ground cardamom
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 120g grated apple
  • 90g grated carrot
  • 90g grated zucchini
  • 50g grated pumpkin
  • 1/2 tsn orange zest
  • 80ml vegetable oil
  • 80ml milk
  • 2 eggs

Cream icing:

  • 150g cream
  • 2 tbsn icing sugar
  • 1 tsn orange zest
  • 1/2 tsn ground cardamom

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. In a bowl place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice, cardamom and baking powder and stir until combine.
  3. Add the grated apple, carrot, zucchini and pumpkin and stir unit into the dry mix until combine.
  4. In a separate bowl mix the zest, milk, oil and eggs.
  5. Add the egg mix into the flour mix and stir until well combine.
  6. Pour the mix into the tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, leave aside to cool on a cooling rack.
  7. With electric beaters whisk the cream until soft peaks form.
  8. Add the sugar, zest and cardamom to the cream and whisk until combine.
  9. To assemble cut the cake horizontally in half.
  10. Place 1 cake layer on a plate, top with half the cream icing, top with the 2nd cake layer and then with the remaining icing.
  11. Enjoy!

 

Spiced Vegetable Cake recipe

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Spiced Vegetable Cake recipe

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Spiced Vegetable Cake recipe

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake 

Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

I wanted to make a cake based on zucchini, but instead of the obvious and usually paired chocolate flavor with zucchini in cakes I wanted to do something else.

As zucchini is a bland flavor by itself I saw this as an opportunity to come up with a unique strong flavor combo that could also be a savory flavor combo as well as sweet.

The chosen flavors for this cake are savory but have successfully been turned sweet…being lemon and thyme.

With the addition of the sweet glaze lemon and the moreish sweet cream cheese icing this cake is transformed  to a tasty satisfying treat that not too naughty.

Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

 

 

Ingredients:

 Batter:

  • 175g sugar
  • 1 lemon (zest of whole lemon)
  • 1 tbsn dried thyme
  • 175g butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 200g self-rising flour
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 255g zucchini, grated

Icing:

  • 100g white chocolate
  • 250g cream cheese
  • 120g vanilla flavored yoghurt
  • 1 lemon (zest of ½ lemon)

Lemon syrup:

  • 1 lemon (sliced into think pieces)
  • 100g sugar
  • 100ml water

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c degrees and line 2 x 25cm cake tins with baking paper.
  2. Beat the sugar, zest, thyme and butter with an electric whisk for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs, one at a time beating in between each edition.
  4. Sift the flour and powder through a sieve into the bowl and fold until just combine.
  5. Add the zucchini and fold until just combine.
  6. Pour the mix into the 2 cake tins and place in the oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Leave the cakes aside to cool.
  8. Meanwhile to make the lemon syrup place the lemon slices, sugar and water into a saucepan on a high heat and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the syrup starts to thicken.
  9. Place the lemon slices on baking paper and leave aside to cool.
  10. Cut the cakes horizontally in half.
  11. Using a pastry brush brush the cake tops with the syrup.
  12. To make the icing, melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave until boiling. Add the white chocolate piece and stir until smooth.
  13. Add the cream cheese, yoghurt and essence into the butter mix and using electric beaters whisk until smooth and silky. Place in the fridge to set.
  14. To put the cake together place one cake layer on a plate, top with ¼ icing. Repeat until the last layer is on the cake.
  15. With the remaining icing ice the tops and sides of the cake.
  16. To decorate place the candied lemon piece on the cake and enjoy.

 

 

Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Lemon, Thyme and Zucchini Layer Cake recipe

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Spiced Caramel Apple Pie Cake Recipe

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Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

This cake was inspired by wanting to hide green veggies in a sweet treat as well as use a grain to replace some of the flour quantity, thus the zucchini and polenta in this cake.

I thought orange and poppy seed would be a great addition and work well with texture of the cake. The polenta would soak up the juice and take on the taste of the orange as well as soak up the liquid of the zucchini, ensuring the cake will not be gooey or sticky.

The cake is subtle, lovely and delicate.

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 280 zucchini, grated
  • 230g butter
  • 300g sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 40g poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsn orange rind
  • 2 tsn baking powder
  • 270g flour
  • 160g polenta
  • 90ml orange juice

Icing:

  • 300g cream cheese
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 4 tsn orange juice
  • 1 tsn orange zest

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Grate the zucchini until you have 280g in volume.
  3. Give the zucchini a good squeeze to remove excess liquid, place in a bowl.
  4. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and using an electric beater whisk until the mix is creamy and fluffy.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time beating in between each addition.
  6. Add the poppy seeds and zest and beat until well combined.
  7. Add the zucchini and beat until well combined.
  8. Add in the powder, flour, polenta and orange juice and beat until just combine, but smooth.
  9. Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour of until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Place the cake on a cooling rack to completely cool.
  11. Meanwhile, make the icing by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and beat with the electric beaters until smooth and fluffy.
  12. Once the cake is cooled cut in half horizontally.
  13. Cover each layer with the icing on the top.
  14. Place one cake layer on top of the other.
  15. Enjoy.
Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

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Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

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Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

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Blackberry and Lemon Quadruple Trifle recipe

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Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

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Zucchini Polenta Orange and Poppy Seed Cake recipe

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Spiced Zucchini Orange Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Spiced Zucchini Orange Cake

Spiced Zucchini Orange Cake recipe

I couldn’t pack any more flavours in this cake even if I tried. Not only is this flavour full each flavour complements the other.

To make the cake as moist as possible I have utilized zucchini as this is a great ingredient to add a beautiful cake texture while also making the cake a little healthier than usual.

The cake flavours have come from Indian and Arabic flavour inspirations with the inclusion of beautiful orange, pistachio, cardamom, honey, mixed spice and saffron.

An absolutely addictive cake that’s not too sweet and works amazingly with the cream topping.

 

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 160g butter
  • 200g brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsn orange zest
  • ½ tsn mixed spice
  • 20 saffron threads
  • 1 tsn cardamom
  • 360g zucchini (grated and slightly squeezed)
  • 32og self-rising flour
  • 80g pistachio kernels

Topping:

  • 300ml thickened cream
  • 1 tsn orange zest
  • 15 saffron threads
  • 2 + 1/2 tbsn icing sugar

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the pistachio kernels into a food processor and blitz until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time beating in between each addition.
  5. Add the mixed spice, cardamom and saffron. Beat until combine.
  6. Grate the zucchini and give it a little squeeze to remove the excess liquid.
  7. Add the flour and the ground pistachios and stir until well combined.
  8. Pour mix into the cake tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  9. Place the cake on a cooling rack.
  10. Meanwhile to make the topping whip the cream, saffron, zest and sugar in a bowl with electric beaters until peaks form.
  11. Cut the cake into slices and using a piping bag and star nozzle pipe the cream on the top of the cake.
  12. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon on top and enjoy!

 

Spiced Zucchini Orange Cake recipe

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Spiced Zucchini Orange Cake recipe

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Kahlua and Butterscotch schnapps Cake

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Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Now I know there are many many many chocolate and zucchini cake recipes out there (seriously, who would have though it), but this one is a winner.

It’s simple, easy and I dare you to bake a more dense cake!

Zucchini is one of my favourite veggies and the fact it generally takes on other ingredients flavours as appose to having its own strong flavour make me think this would be an interesting experiment to trial…

The outcome, this cake is great and tastes lovely, it also sticks with my desires to turn the ever-so-naughty chocolate baking treat into a healthier version.

So without further ado my Chocolate Zucchini Cake:

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 1 tsn instant coffee
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsn baking powder
  •  1 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 cups of grated zucchini that has had a good squeeze to remove excess liquid
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180 c.
  • Line or grease a 28cm spring form cake tin.
  • Beat together butter, sugar and eggs until the batter is pale. Following add the vanilla and coffee.
  • In another bowl sift the flour, soda, bicarb and cocoa. Stir in zucchini and choc chips.
  • Now lightly fold in wet mix unto the dry mix until combined.
  • Pour into tin and bake for about 50-60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
  • Cool in tin for 5 mins then transfer onto a cooling rack.

Now there are 3 ways I have made this cake and finished them to serve. These being:

  1. Top with mixed berries and dust with icing sugar and cream on the side
  2. Covered the cake in chocolate ganache (however defeats the ‘healthier’ statement); OR
  3. Make a cherry jam. For this all I did was bought a 680g jar of Morello cherries and added to this 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup of the cherry juice from the jar. I placed these into a pan on the stove and once boiled I added 2 tbs corn flour and whisked until thick. Once the cake was cooled I cut in half and spread the jam in the center and the top of the cake. Outcome OMG!

Things to note:

  • Without the jam or berries the cake can come off to be a little tiny bit ‘earthy’ tasting…not really noticeable but to a sweet tooth like mine the cake is not the sweetest around.
  • I made Cherry jam as I had the jar in the cupboard and LOVE cherries.
  • Lots of zucchini cake recipes don’t have the coffee however I think it intensifies the chocolate taste and you don’t notice it’s there.

Like this recipe? I recommend you also check out my Red Wine Chocolate Cake. Additionally please do subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

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