Adding more vegetables to my diet means that I’m getting more creative in the kitchen. Lately I’ve been hearing about using zucchinis for cakes, and I’ve always enjoyed the trusty carrot cake. So why not combine the two. After searching for different recipes and not finding any that met my need. I decided to experiment. Here’s what I came out with:
Gluten Free Carrot & Zucchini Almond Cake
500g almond meal
250g shredded coconut
2 tbsp kakao
1 tbsp linseed mix
2 grated carrots
2 grated zucchinis
1 grated apple
3 tbsp honey
2 eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
Set the oven to 180 C. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover a 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Pour in the cake mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with Greek yoghurt or double cream.
I was really surprised when this cake turned out delicious. J loved it too and said we can have it on a regular basis. Thanks for the approval love.
What I love about this cake?
It’s rich in nutrients. You’ve got your vitamins from the carrots, zucchini and apple. Then there’s the good fats and protein from the almond meal and eggs. The honey adds a bit of sweetness and holds the cake together. I did try it with only one tablespoon of honey and it wasn’t sweet enough.
Can I add anything else to the cake?
That’s completely up to you. Next time I’m going to try adding some chopped walnuts to the mix.
Is it expensive?
Almond meal and kakao can get pricey but if you buy in bulk it will last you a while. Kakao is very rich and you want to use it sparingly rather than like cocoa. Because of it’s natural form it’s much bitter than cocoa so don’t go substituting quantity for quantity with cocoa. I did that once and it didn’t turn out too well…the cake ended up in the bin rather than my tummy. Saved on the calories but wasted money.
Is this a dessert?
It was made to be a dessert. But given the ingredients, it would go down well as a mid morning snack with your tea or coffee.
Has anyone else eaten it?
I trialled it on my parents and they liked it. Then to make sure it wasn’t a bias opinion I invited friends over for cake and coffee and they seemed to like it too, even asked for the recipe.
Do you add vegetables to your cakes? Do you experiment in the kitchen?
