14 August, 2015

Spiced Squash and Zucchini Cake

Comments : 3 Posted in : Not So Naughty on 14th August 2015 by : Ugne

Spiced Squash and Zucchini Cake (Sugar, Gluten and can be made Dairy free as well)

I always try to feed my family as healthy as possible. I know it is hard to make a cake which is totally innocent…. But this cake is truly wonderful- moist, full of flavour and sweet enough to please even the fussiest eaters, or shall I say sweet tooths ^_^

This cake is very scrumptious even though it does not contain sugar, wheat flour or dairy.

In this case I used butter and cream cheese to make mine, but as I mentioned, it can be made with butter substitute which tastes as good as the naughty stuff ^_^

So there you have it, my lovely squash and zucchini cake. And don’t tell me it does not contain couple of your five a day 😛

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INGREDIENTS:

100g gluten free Oats(blitzed to flour)
100g fine Cornmeal
150g ground Almonds
200g grated Zucchini
300g roasted Butternut Squash (or pumpkin) mushed
100g finely chopped Dates
50g roasted and chopped Pecans
100g Butter, room temperature (or for dairy free version- ‘Trex’)
200g Honey
5 eggs
1tbsp sesame seeds (toasted in a dry pan)
1tbs poppy seeds (toasted on a dry pan)
Zest of an orange
Table spoon of All spice
2 teaspoons of baking powder

For the frosting:

300g peeled grated Apple
100g honey
Juice of half an orange (which you seated earlier)
And around 400g cream cheese.

For the dairy free option use Trex buttercream.

METHOD:

Preheat the oven 200’C

Peel and dice the squash, scatter vegetable oil over it and roast in the oven for 20minutes. Take out and mush it with a fork or blend with blender.

Reduce oven heat to 160’C

Line base and sides of two 9in round cake tins with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the butter or (Trex or Pure if aiming for dairy free cake)

Together with honey until it’s nice and fluffy. I let the stand mixer do its job on a medium speed for about 10minutes. Don’t worry- the longer you beat the butter, the better it is. The process makes cake more soft and airy.

Place eggs in the jug or bowl and beat together slightly to combine, add slowly to butter mixture little bit by little bit beating well after each addition.

When well incorporated, remove the bowl from mixer, add the flours together with All Spice. Sprinkle baking powder, fold in gently until incorporated. Add the vegetables, nuts and seeds together with orange zest- combine well again.

Divide the batter evenly between two tins and bake on the Middle shelf for about 45-50min. Just keep an eye on the cake, as different oven temperatures varies. When toothpick inserted comes out clean- remove cakes from the oven, leave to cool for 10minutes and then remove from tins on wire rack. Peel off parchment paper and leave to cool completely before assembling.

For the cream cheese frosting.

Place grated Apple, honey and orange juice in the pot and boil on the med/low heat.

until reduced to sticky caramel consistency by stirring occasionally.

When it’s all done- Cool completely, add the cream cheese and beat well with a wooden spoon.

Assemble:

Trim the sponges by cutting off the dome to make them nice and evenly straight.

Place one of the sponges on the serving plate, spread half of the frosting, put another sponge on top and spread remaining frosting. Scatter some roasted chopped nuts on top for decoration.

Enjoy 🙂