PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI CAKE (WITHOUT) CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Pineapple Zucchini Cake (without) Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe - (4.4/5) image

Provided by Foodiewife

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use all white flour if you don't have this)
1-1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut (optional, I didn't use)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon), (you can use pre-ground, too)
1 pinch ground dried ginger (about 1/16 teaspoon)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 whole large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated (unpeeled) zucchini (*see Note)
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve in case you need it for the cake batter or the frosting)
NOTE: I think that half the pineapple would have been better, and I will do that next time.
NOTE: Because I'm trying to cut back on my sweet tooth, and fat, I didn't frost this cake. Undoubtedly, the frosting below is phenomenally good with this cake!
FROSTING
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened (can use full-fat cream cheese)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Splash of milk or pineapple juice, if necessary
Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple** into flour mixture. Batter might be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice. NOTE: I found that the batter was easy to work with, and I didn't need the addition of pineapple juice. **I felt that one 20-ounce can of pineapple was a little too much for this cake. However, adjust this or not, according to your preferences. TASTING NOTES: Loved this cake! It was super delicious and I did use whole wheat pastry flour. I did not miss the icing one little bit-- it's a great snacking cake, and maybe a great way to sneak in some veggies. Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 33-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired. NOTES : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it's not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. Then I measure out 2 cups. Not sure if this is critical though. Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting. And this recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.