Have Your Cake And Eat It

Italian Zucchini Cake

Zucchini, olive oil and organic coconut sugar are the star ingredients to this flavourful, tender and not overly sweet cake. Zucchini is low in calories, high in fibre, contains a high source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Zucchini also has more potassium than a banana!

Olive oil is commonly used in Italian cakes. It lends a fruity flavour that pairs well with the zucchini, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and pure vanilla. Using olive oil instead of butter is a great way to cut saturated fat. Olive oil is loaded with monounsaturated fat which promotes “good cholesterol”.

Coconut sugar is considered a natural, unrefined sweetener. It is made from the sap of flowers of the coconut palm. It has a rich, caramel flavour and resembles brown sugar. Coconut sugar contains inulin, making it a low glycemic food that may slow glucose absorption.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

• 2 cups Thompson seedless raisins

• 3 large Ontario eggs

• 1 ½ cups organic coconut sugar

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• ½ cup milk

• 3 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini

• Icing sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two, twelve cup mini bundt pans or two regular size bundt pans.

• In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts and raisins. Create a well with the flour mixture.

• In a medium bowl beat the eggs and sugar together for about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add olive oil. Add vanilla and milk, scraping sides of bowl down with a spatula as you go along. Add zucchini and mix well.

• Add the liquid egg mixture to the dry flour mixture. Fold in just until combined, careful not to over mix.

• Pour batter into baking pans until about ⅔ full. Level tops off with a spatula as batter will be thick. Bake for 30 minutes or until a bamboo skewer comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool slightly in pan. Gently go around the edges of each cake with the bamboo skewer to help loosen and prevent the cakes from sticking. Remove cakes from the baking pan and finish cooling on a baking rack. Once cool, dust cakes lightly with icing sugar.