Chocolate Carrot Zucchini Cake
Kiddo and I needed a sweet treat. There was no way I was going to break down and buy Betty Crocker. No offense to those who use the mixes. I do from time to time but I just want to make things myself.
It just so happens I have a freezer and during vegetable and canning season I tuck away the extras that most people throw away. They always come in handy. So kiddo and I looked through the Taste of Home 2003 Annual Recipes cookbook handed down from my grandmother and looked for something I could whip up.
What I liked about this recipe is that it used egg whites and whole wheat flour. It is pretty dense but it was very yummy. We did some modifications to the recipe. Garden grown vegetables, thanks to my family. I used alcohol free vanilla extract and we added 2tbsp cocoa to make it chocolate. We also used our homemade applesauce, which worked out quite well. I did not make the frosting in the recipe as I did not have any of the ingredients. Instead kiddo suggested a pudding topping so we made a package of sugar-free instant chocolate pudding with skim milk and use that for the topping after it had chilled.
Chocolate Carrot Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup 100% Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup homemade applesauce
- 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
- 1 teaspoon alcohol free vanilla extract
- 6 egg whites
- 1-1/3 cups sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl combine the wheat flour, white flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.
- Slowly add the buttermilk.
- Add the applesauce, carrots, zucchini and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a smaller bowl beat the egg whites until fluffy. Soft peaks will form.
- Gradually beat sugar into egg whites 1tbsp at a time until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Gently fold into batter.
- Pour batter into a greased cake pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center of the pan.
- Allow to cool before frosting.
It wasn’t overly sweet and that was a plus. Husband doesn’t like overly sweet things so he was able to enjoy this. It was a win-win for everyone. It’s amazing what you can come up with when you start searching your cabinets and recipe books.
What is something you created just by searching recipe books and the food items in your house?
Is it bad to say that I never had zucchini? Maybe this year will be the year that I try new things! Glad I have you to keep me updated with recipes. 🙂
As the saying goes, you will never know if you like it unless you try it!
Yum! My grandma’s zucchini bread was a favorite as a kiddo. I’ve never thought of using pudding as icing before. Love that idea.
I think my mom used pudding as a topping before. But, it sounded like a good idea and I just wasn’t sure a regular frosting would work. I love zucchini bread too!
Since we started changing our eating habits I’ve found so many new ways to eat zuchinni that I never knew about before. I still don’t like it as a steamed stand alone veggie. However, I use it in so many recipes and it really is good.
That looks delicious, and I love all your modifications!
Thanks so much Tammy!
I love carrot cake, and I haven’t ever had zucchini cake but I love zucchini bread so I’m sure this would be awesome. Thanks for sharing this one on #yuckstopshere yum.