Carrot and Zucchini Cake

I am sure you have had either carrot cake, zucchini bread, or maybe even chocolate zucchini cake, but have you ever had a carrot AND zucchini cake? Have you ever had one so delicious and yet so full of nutrition too? Well, I am here to share this astonishing cake with you. I had a dilemma of not being able to decide which cake/bread to make, when it occurred to me, “Why not use both?”, so I did.

The result was F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!!! 

I found a recipe online but won’t bother sharing the source because I ended up changing it so much, that it wouldn’t even make sense. I typically like to make things a bit healthier if I can, sometimes the result is mediocre and sometimes it is just as good, this time though, it was marvelous! I would recommend this cake one hundred times over and over! 

Carrot Zucchini Cake Recipe:

1/3 cup oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

4 eggs

3/4 cup yogurt

1 1/2-3/4 cups AP flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 T. cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 – 1 tsp. clove, all spice, nutmeg 

1 1/2 T. ginger syrup

2 cups shredded carrots

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 – 3/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

1/2 – 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Get out all the ingredients you will be using, and preheat your oven to 350°/175°. Clean and shred the veggies and sift the dry flours and spices together. Grease either a bundt, cake pan, or (2) 9″ round baking pans and set aside. Toast the walnuts if using and break into small pieces, set aside. Using a stand or handheld mixer, beat the oil and sugars together well, then, slowly add the eggs. Now, using a large rubber spatula fold in the yogurt, carrots, and zucchini until well incorporated. Slowly add the dry mix by thirds and continue folding until just wet and mixed. Lastly, add the walnuts and chips (if you are using) and pour the batter into the pan(s) evenly. Bake until a knife removes clean from cake when pierced. Cooking times range from a bunt pan – 1 hour, 9″ pans – 20-25 minutes, or a cake pan – 30-40 minutes, but watch closely because I have only used the bundt pan so far. Cool and then drizzle or frost with icing, or serve plain. 

Cream Cheese Icing

I eyeball the ingredients based on the consistency I want, but I am sure you can use any icing you choose. I include a little butter, cream cheese, vanilla, a little espresso, and a lot of powdered sugar. Just remember that the more wet you use, the more dry you will need, so start off little! I love the addition of espresso flavor, but it is completely optional. 

Please change the recipe to suite your own preferences or try it just as it is, I can still remember the flavorful and slightly sweet taste when I close my eyes, and I wish so badly I had another piece here to enjoy for breakfast! I mean it  has veggies in it, eat it for breakfast!  Let me know what you think, I always appreciate comments and hearing from you! Thanks for reading, stay tuned for more.