A sprinkling of freshly grated raw carrot along with the salty notes of chopped macadamia nuts will make these pretty treats truly memorable.
Carrot-Zucchini Cakes
Serves: 24
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups loosely packed finely grated carrot
- 1 cup loosely packed finely grated zucchini*
- Mascarpone Frosting (recipe follows)
- Garnish: finely grated carrot and chopped toasted, salted macadamia nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour and line with parchment paper, letting edges hang over sides of pan as handles.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Fold in carrot and zucchini. Stir in flour mixture, just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing surface.
- Bake until edges are brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.
- When cool, lift cake from pan, using parchment handles, and place cake on a cutting surface. Using a long serrated bread knife, trim away and discard browned edges of cake. Cut cake into 24 (approximately 2 ¾x1 ½-inch) rectangles.
- Place Mascarpone Frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (Wilton #1M). Pipe frosting onto bars in a zigzag fashion to create a ruffled look. Serve immediately, or place cakes in an airtight covered container and refrigerate until needed, up to a day.
- Just before serving, garnish cakes with carrot and macadamia nuts.
Notes
*Grate more of the green outsides of the zucchini than the interior white part so that there will be more flecks of green in the cake. Measure grated zucchini by loosely packing it into a measuring cup. Transfer grated zucchini to a clean dish towel and squeeze dry before using. Do not squeeze carrot.
Mascarpone Frosting
Serves: 3 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, stirred to loosen
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together cream, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and salt with a mixer at high speed until mixture thickens and stiff peaks form. Beat in mascarpone cheese at medium-high to high speed until incorporated, mixture thickens, and stiff peaks form.
love the content of this blog and the positive intent you have. Thanks!