This cake is so moist and tasty. Its also a great way to use up all those summer zucchini’s growing in your garden!
TIP: You will need a large mixing bowl as this is too big for your thermomix.
TIP: We didn’t clean the jug between any of the steps whilst making the cake. Just keep emptying each item into the mixing bowl, then wash out before making the icing.
TIP: Make sure your cream cheese is soft and at room temperature before making the frosting.
TIP: You could substitute lemon juice and zest for any other citrus juice and zest you may have.
TIP: This can be frozen with the cream cheese frosting on top.
NOTE – this makes a very large cake, so use two cake tins if necessary.
- 15m
- 40m
- 55m
- One
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 130 g walnuts
- 150 g dried pitted dates
- 375 g zucchini
- 1/2 tsp. bicarb
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 370 g self-raising flour
Wet Ingredients
- 260 g brown sugar
- 100 g macadamia oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 150 g extra virgin olive oil
- 3 egg
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 pkg cream cheese
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 80 g icing sugar
- 2 tsp. lemon zest
Instructions
Thermal Cooking Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line a large cake tin with butter and baking paper and set aside. Get out a large mixing bowl also.
- Chop walnuts for 1 second/speed 5 (set aside in large mixing bowl).
- Chop dried pitted dates for 10 seconds/speed 5 (place with walnuts in mixing bowl).
- Chop the zucchini for 5 seconds/speed 4 - scrape and repeat for 2 seconds/speed 4 and add to large mixing bowl.
- Add bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg, and self raising flour directly to the large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined
- Add all wet ingredients to the empty mixing jug and mix for 1 minute/speed 4.
- Add this to the dry ingredients (in the large mixing bowl) and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Pour into prepared tin.
- Bake for approx. 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave in tin to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting - place all frosting ingredients into a clean jug and mix 10 seconds/speed 4 - scrape and repeat a further 20 seconds.
- Spread over cooled cake and serve.
Traditional Cooking Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and line a large cake tin with butter and baking paper and set aside.
- Chop walnuts and set aside in large mixing bowl.
- Finely slice dried pitted dates and add to mixing bowl.
- Grate the zucchini and add to mixing bowl.
- Add bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and self raising flour directly to your large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- In a blender, add all wet ingredients and mix for 1 minute/medium speed, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Pour into prepared cake tin.
- Bake for approx 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave in tin to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting - place all frosting ingredients into a clean food processor, or mix master. On a medium speed, blend until nice and creamy.
- Spread over cooled cake and serve.
This was so easy to make and so yummy, even Mr 3 and Mr 6 loved it.