3-Layer Zucchini Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

I've got another recipe to put your overflowing zucchini plant to good use.

I worked in a restaurant that had the best carrot cake in the land.  It was amazing.  I sweet talked the pastry chef into giving me the recipe.  It's the only carrot cake recipe I've made since.  When the neighbor brought over some more zucchini from her yard the other day, I decided to make the cake using zucchini instead of carrots.  Um, you guys, you're gonna wanna get on this with the quickness.

You bake the cake in a sheet pan, and the one I used this time must have been smaller than my old one, 'cause all the batter didn't fit.  So I ended up throwing the rest of it into a pie plate.  So use the biggest rimmed cookie sheet you have, approximately 12-by-16.

The restaurant always put sliced almonds on the sides of the assembled cake, which is what I've always done as well.  But my nuts were all packed away, so I used unsweetened coconut instead.  Uh, yeah, good.

Here's the recipe with my notes:

The World's Best Carrot Cake
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 C brown sugar
2 1/4 C Veggie Oil
6 eggs
3 C flour
4 1/2 C grated carrot (I substituted an equivalent amount of zucchini)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking soda

Whisk oil and brown sugar.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.  Add wed to dry.  Add shredded carrots or zucchini.  Pour into greased and floured pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.  Cool completely.  Remove from pan and cut into thirds.  Chill overnight or freeze for an hour.  Layer with frosting.  Frost top and sides and cover sides with sliced almonds.

Frosting

1 lb cream cheese, softened
4 oz butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients.

Here's everybody comin' together at my house:

Say a little prayer that you greased and floured your pan well enough.

Then let out a sigh of relief when it comes out perfect.

Cut 'er up.

Once it's cold, layer on your frosting.
You can go heavier on the layers than I did.
I wanted to make sure there was enough frosting to do the other cake, and I ended up having some leftover.

I always do a crumb coat when I frost a cake.

I'm not all that great at frosting, so I can use all the help I can get.

To do it, put on a skim coat all the way around, then stick it back in the fridge to let it set up.

The second coat should cover up all the crumb chunks that are inevitable in the first coat.

The nuts, or coconut, will hide any flaws on the sides.
 

I frosted up the one I made in the pie plate and took it over to the neighbor who had given me the zucchini.

I took the big one, and yes, it definitely feeds a crowd, to my mom's house over the weekend for a family dinner.

And here's your tip of the day:

To transport cakes without messing up all your hard work on the frosting, stick some skewers or toothpicks in the top before covering it with saran wrap.

You can smooth out any holes left when you get there.

I have a funny story about frosting smoothing.

I'll save it for a Random Thoughts & Tidbits post.

I came home with some leftover cake.

Ya know, 'cause there was a lot.

My sister's fam came for dinner the following night and brought Ube ice cream and mangoes.

It was a dessert feast, to say the least.

And now, I shall insert pictures of Baby with bright purple, taro root ice cream smeared all over her face.

Now that's a happy baby.
You, too, can be happy.
Go make the cake.
And share it.
It's delicious.
And people will like you.
 This is what it looks like with the almonds.

 

Did I mention it's delicious?

 

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