Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preparation:
- Place oven rack on the second to bottom level, and preheat oven to 350° Farhenheit.
- In a small mixing bowl, measure out the ground flax and add 4Tb of filtered water. Stir to combine, and then set aside to thicken and gel.
- Using a food processor shred the zucchini (or blend until smooth if desired). Place in bowl and set aside.NOTE: No need to peel the zucchini if it is organic.
- In a separate bowl - sift flour into a medium bowl. Measure, and sift again. Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and sift one more time - 3x total. Set aside.
- In a glass measuring cup, measure out the plant-based milk. Add the fresh lemon juice, saving 1Tb of lemon juice for the lemon glaze topping. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Prepare the loaf pan OR square pan by lightly buttering the inside of the pan or use a piece of unbleached parchment paper.
Cake Instructions:
- In a large bowl, cream butter on medium speed using either an electric mixer (hand mixer) or a food processor.
- Add sugars to the butter mixture, and cream again until smooth.
- Next add flax mixture, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the wet ingredients. Combine until creamy and fluffy.
- Add shredded zucchini and blend again.
- Starting on a low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and the milk to the butter mixture. Continue alternating until everything is added, then combine until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake in the oven for approximately 40min or until a toothpick comes out of the center perfectly clean.
- When done take out of the oven and set cake on a wire rack to cool.
Lemon Glaze Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, cream butter until smooth.
- Measure and sift powdered sugar, then gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter mixture a little bit at a time.
- Add lemon juice and blend until glaze in smooth and pourable.NOTE: If glaze is too thick, you can add plant-based milk, 1Tb at a time, to reach desired consistency.
- Once the cake is cooled, using toothpicks, poke many holes into the top of the lemon zucchini cake.
- Pour the lemon glaze over the top of the cake, spreading it out with a small spatula or the back of your spoon, allowing the glaze to seep into the holes.
- Allow the cake to cool to room temperature in order to set before slicing. ENJOY!
Nutrition
Notes
- You can swap out the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat flour if you wish. Or even do half and half, which works quite well.
- For best results, when you are baking the cake, make sure to cook until a toothpick comes out perfectly clean. For me, this took about 40-45min but each oven is different so make the toothpick test your guide and not the baking time.
- A great addition to this lemon zucchini cake is a sprinkle of shredded coconut on top of the cake. Use about 1/4 cup, and it tastes delicious.
- If you want to have a bit of a nutty taste to your cake without actually biting into nuts, consider forgoing the vanilla extract and adding 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead - yum!
- This easy cake will store well on your kitchen counter with either plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or any other kind of protective covering, for about 3-4 days. If you wish, you can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
- You can make so many other flavors of cake using this base recipe. For example, a great way to make a blueberry zucchini cake is by swapping out the lemon for 1/2 cup of small wild blueberries (folded in).
- You can also make a chocolate zucchini cake by swapping out the lemon for a chocolate paste made with 1/4 cup of cacao and a few tablespoons of hot water to create a thick chocolaty paste. Add this to the butter mixture and then carry on with the rest of the recipe.
- I have only made this recipe in a loaf or square pan however, I am sure you could also use round cake pans. Let me know how it turns out if you do!