I have zucchini in my garden that are the size of torpedoes and they're bombing their way into just about everything I'm making in my kitchen--like this recipe! Plus, I have a ton of apricots that are screaming to be used in something.
I really don't think apricots and zucchini are a typical pairing, but I was desperate. . . and desperate times require serious outside-the-box thinking.
However, I decided to throw all common sense to the wind and combine these two ingredients and guess what!?! Zucchini and apricots REALLY DO go together like “Peanut Butter and Jelly"; like "Pork Chops and Applesauce"; like "Porgy and Bess" . . . ok, that's not food, but you get the picture. Apricots and zucchini are a match made in heaven!
This cake is Sooooo beyond good, it's ridiculous! It's moist and the apricot and zucchini blend together in a creamy, lovely, and dreamy way. It's heaven, folks! Just heaven!
Ingredients
Dry:
3 cups almond blanched almond flour
2 TBS. coconut flour
1/4 cup granulated low calorie sweetener
2 tsp. baking powder*
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
Wet:
3 large eggs (room temp)
1/4 cup sour cream (room temp)
1/4 cup butter (room temp)
1/2 cup sugar free apricot preserves* (room temp)
10 drops liquid vanilla stevia
1 cup zucchini* (non-peeled; grated)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Frosting:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 TBS. sugar free apricot preserves* (room temp)
2 TBS. granulated low calorie sweetener (powdered)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and spray grease an 11 1/2" x 7 1/2" baking dish (or a 13" x 9" for a thinner cake; or an 8" x 8" for a thicker cake.)
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix in the zucchini and nuts.
6. Spoon into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool.
7. Whip the cream cheese and the sweetener together till smooth. Mix in the whip cream and beat to soft peaks. Then mix in the preserves and spread onto the cake. Makes approx. 15 servings. Enjoy!
*Notes:
--Use GF baking powder and make sure it's fresh. Also, I was going to add in baking soda to react with the sour cream, but forgot. However, I feel the baking powder--alone--did a good job leavening.
--You can either use my recipe for Sugar Free Apricot Preserves or a store-bought version. If you can handle more carbs, feel free to add 1 or 2 more TBS. of preserves in the frosting.
--I used a few paper towels to squeeze out some of the moisture in the zucchini. Also, there isn't a lot of liquid in this recipe--apparently, the zucchini, preserves, and sour cream provided enough moisture.
I adapted this Zucchini Apricot Cake recipe from the Zucchini Cake III recipe on Allrecipes.com. The frosting was adapted from Averie Cooks, and includes my Easy Sugar Free Apricot Preserves recipe.
Ingredients
Dry:
3 cups almond blanched almond flour
2 TBS. coconut flour
1/4 cup granulated low calorie sweetener
2 tsp. baking powder*
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
Wet:
3 large eggs (room temp)
1/4 cup sour cream (room temp)
1/4 cup butter (room temp)
1/2 cup sugar free apricot preserves* (room temp)
10 drops liquid vanilla stevia
1 cup zucchini* (non-peeled; grated)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Frosting:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 TBS. sugar free apricot preserves* (room temp)
2 TBS. granulated low calorie sweetener (powdered)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and spray grease an 11 1/2" x 7 1/2" baking dish (or a 13" x 9" for a thinner cake; or an 8" x 8" for a thicker cake.)
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix in the zucchini and nuts.
6. Spoon into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool.
7. Whip the cream cheese and the sweetener together till smooth. Mix in the whip cream and beat to soft peaks. Then mix in the preserves and spread onto the cake. Makes approx. 15 servings. Enjoy!
*Notes:
--Use GF baking powder and make sure it's fresh. Also, I was going to add in baking soda to react with the sour cream, but forgot. However, I feel the baking powder--alone--did a good job leavening.
--You can either use my recipe for Sugar Free Apricot Preserves or a store-bought version. If you can handle more carbs, feel free to add 1 or 2 more TBS. of preserves in the frosting.
--I used a few paper towels to squeeze out some of the moisture in the zucchini. Also, there isn't a lot of liquid in this recipe--apparently, the zucchini, preserves, and sour cream provided enough moisture.
I adapted this Zucchini Apricot Cake recipe from the Zucchini Cake III recipe on Allrecipes.com. The frosting was adapted from Averie Cooks, and includes my Easy Sugar Free Apricot Preserves recipe.