Carrozucchi Cake

My husband loves carrot cake. It is his absolute favorite and I make it every year for his birthday. This past weekend I made this cake just for fun because I had just harvested zucchini and carrots from my garden. A few weeks ago I made these Mighty Mighty Muffins which also uses carrots and zucchini. I figured carrot cake is wonderful and zucchini bread is wonderful so why not bring them all together into one happy cake.

Carrozucchi Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp flax meal
6 tbsp water

1 cup grated zucchini (1 smallish zucchini)
1 cup grated carrots (1 large carrot)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

1/3 cup vegan margarine
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cake Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

Put the raisins in a measuring cup and cover them in hot water. You want to let these soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients so they will plump up.

Combine the soy milk with the vinegar in another measuring cup to let it thicken and sour.

Mix the flax meal with the water in a small bowl and let it sit. It will thicken up and make a great binder in the cake. I make flax meal by running whole flax seeds through my spice grinder. I save any extra in the freezer.

Grate your carrots and zucchini into a small bowl. You want about a cup of each, but don't worry about it being exact.

In a mixing bowl combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour and oat flour. I make my own oat flour by running rolled oats through my spice grinder. It works really well. Oat flour makes for a healthier cake that is still light and delicious.

To the flour add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Combine it well and make sure there are no clumps of baking soda.

In another bowl beat the margarine with the sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. Then add the soured milk and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix just enough to combine and then fold in the raisins (drained of the hot water), carrots, and zucchini.

Put the batter into the two round cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes ... they are done when the tops are brown and spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool and remove them from their pans.

Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegan cream cheese (I like Tofutti brand)
1/4 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance brand)
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups natural powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp water

Frosting Directions:

Let the margarine come to room temperature and place it in a mixing bowl with the vegan cream cheese. Add the vanilla, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp of water. Beat with electric mixers until it is completely smooth and combined. Add more powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue to beat with the mixers until all the powdered sugar is incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy. You can add a little more water as needed to get the consistency you would like.

This makes just enough frosting to put a thin layer between the two cakes and frost the top (and sides if you want). Sit back and enjoy while being impressed that a cake with two vegetables can be this amazing, and then have more - guilt free :)