Recipe Round-Up: Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Fresh Fruit

Even though the 4th of July is over, you still need cake. And cream cheese frosting. And fruit...in any design you want.

This cake knows how to party. It is incredibly versatile and delicious and can be made every single month of the year. It is divine in November with a hot cup of coffee. It is delightful in April for a perfect Easter lunch. And it fits nicely on your patio table when you are singing the Star Spangled Banner.

What else do you know that has that track record?

Exactly.

This cake is where it is at. And it can be personalized.

Peaches on top?
No problem.

What about blackberries? Strawberries? Mango?
Yes.
Yes.
And yes.

How about pecans and walnuts?
You're brilliant.

What if you just want it plain with extra frosting?
Absolutely.

Not only can you have conversations with yourself about this cake, but it is simple to make. Combine wet ingredients then dry ingredients, mix, bake, frost, eat.

It is fail-proof. For reals.

Let's get started:

Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and grated zucchini. Bam! Done!

SIDE NOTE: My mama grows zucchini every year in her garden. They are the rabbits of the vegetable world because they multiply like crazy. Together, we grate them up, measure them out into freezer bags and store them in the freezer. When you are craving a zucchini cake or bread, they are ready to go! It almost makes you feel like you live in the pioneer days, except for the electricity and your cell phone.

Now, mix it up.

Once it looks like this...

...add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Total flavor explosion.

Mix it up and pour it into a cake pan.

Put the cake in the oven and whip up some frosting.

*Let's pretend I took pictures of me making the frosting.*

Once the cake is baked and cooled, pile on as much frosting as your little heart desires. My little heart desires a lot.

WA- LA! Finito! See how easy it is? I adore this recipe.

HOWEVER...

...if you would like to bust out the sparklers and host a 4th of July party (or any party, really), just grab blueberries, raspberries (strawberries will also work) and some additional frosting. Proceed like so:

First: blueberries.

Next: raspberries.

Last: Pipe on stars and stripes.

(Sorry about the blurry photo. I blame the frosting.)

 And there she is. God bless America.

Enjoy, hungry friends!


Zucchini Cake (high altitude instructions in parentheses)
3 cups sugar (minus 9 Tbsp)
1 1/2 cups oil (minus 5 Tbsp)
4 eggs (5 eggs)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups grated uncooked zucchini
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder (minus 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
11/2 cups pecans, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and zucchini together until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (I usually set the time for 1 hour and check on it every 10 minutes.)  Cool completely.


Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add salt, vanilla and sugar and slowly mix to incorporate. Once the sugar is mixed in, turn mixer on high and beat for 2 minutes. (Start with 3 cups of powdered sugar and work your way up to 4 until you have the consistency you want.)

Frost cooled cake and decorate with fresh fruit if desired.

DIG IN!