As Marie Antoinette once said Let Them Eat Cake and if you’re having cake why not have a delicious, pillowy, moist and flavourful one! My Lemon Zucchini Cake takes humble zucchini and bright lemons and transforms them into a fresh, vibrant, rich and delectable confectionary dream!
The secret to creating this cake’s luxurious texture comes from the use of grated zucchini. Zucchini adds incredible moisture and airiness to this cake while the Limoncello, lemon zest, vanilla and nutmeg impart bright, sweet and warming notes and flavour. Almond flour and all-purpose gluten-free flour are incorporated to give this cake substance and tons of height, making this dessert gluten-free.
A generous pipping of Lemon Whipped Frosting is simply the pièce de resistance. This soft, creamy, bright and rich frosting is made using whipping cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Lemon slices, fresh figs and basil leaves are added as garnish to create this show stopping piece!
This cake is perfect for any occasion! Indulge on your own or make it for guests. It’s a slice of cake that you and your guests are not likely to forget! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me! Happy Baking!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8 - 12
Ingredients:
Lemon Zucchini Cake
5 eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp Limoncello
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of nutmeg
2/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups almond flour
3 cups zucchini, grated (approx. 3 medium zucchinis)
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
4 figs halved and quartered, as garnish
Lemon slices and basil leaves, as garnish
Lemon Whipped Frosting
1/2 cup good quality full-fat block cream cheese, cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup whipping cream, cold (See Notes below)
1 tsp lemon zest (approx. 1 lemon)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the base of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with 1/2 Tbsp of butter. Set aside.
Making the Lemon Zucchini Cake: To a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and salt. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the egg whites over high speed for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
To another large mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar and mix on high speed for 1 minute or until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy. Then, add the Limoncello, lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg, flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until combined.
Toss in the almond flour and zucchini and, using a large spoon or spatula, mix until fully incorporated.
Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the cake batter and mix well. This will loosen and lighten the batter and ensure that the remaining egg whites do not deflate when folded in.
In 2 instalments, gently fold in the remaining egg whites using a spatula. Your cake batter will be ready to go when you no longer see streaks of egg whites.
Pour the cake batter into the springform pan, levelling out the top with a spatula.
Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until amber in colour and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it completely cool in the springform pan.
Preparing the Frosting: To a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and icing sugar and, using a handheld or stand mixer, mix on low speed until just combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and continue to the beat the mixture for 1 minute or until light and smooth.
In 1/4 cup instalments, add the whipping cream, and set the mixer to high speed. Beat the mixture until it builds in volume before the next addition. The whole process should take between 1 - 2 minutes and, at this stage, your icing should be thick and form stiff peaks. Then, fold in the lemon zest and vanilla.
Cake Assembly: To remove the cake from the springform pan, loosen the edges of the cake by running a table knife around the inside of the baking pan. Remove the parchment paper and transfer the cake to a serving platter.
Using a piping bag and tip, pipe the frosting onto the top of the cake. Alternatively, you can spoon the frosting over top and use an offset spatula to smooth it out.
Garnish with fresh figs, lemon slices and basil leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Whipping the Frosting: Knowing when to stop mixing is the key to making a light, fluffy and stable frosting. Be careful not to over mix as it will yield a watery mess that is not recoverable. You know your icing is done when it forms stiff peaks and the frosting holds it shape when the whisk is inverted.
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