Sweet zucchini cake

When I hear people say that eating sweet cakes hurts your reflection in the mirror I say " no! Of course there are delicacies that can offer delights to your taste buds and your body! " Especially because one can't exist without the other, and denying your envy is never the solution. And at worst, a short walk, a run with your dog (it works very well, since he never stops), and you can keep going. So, whoever says diet celebration, says big fat zucchini cake!

What drew me to this receipe, after zucchinis (which are, for me, just an alternative to carots) is the absence of butter or oil. Bake a cake without adding fat? Could it be that vegetable full of water make a softer texture? No, it's probably the coconut, which gives a little fat, but above all tastes sweet as hell.

As expected, the cake did not taste of zucchini, for those that it frightens, and when you shred it very thin, you don't feel the pieces once thoroughly cooked. But to bring a smiley touch, I added a little homemade apple mash, with some squares of white chocolate that I had. Divine. I am ready to put it in my future coffee shop (within ten years, whatever).

Ingredients :

200g desiccated coconut

3 eggs

180g sugar

250g zucchini (about 2 regular ones)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

120g flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

+ Filling :

1 large apple

5 squares of white chocolate

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Take the coconut in a blender to make even finer. In a bowl, vigorously whisk the coconut, egg and sugar for a minute. Peel and grate the zucchini and pour into the bowl. Add the vanilla extract. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda and pour it gradually to the dough, while continuing to mix until smooth, or almost, since we have zucchini bits!

Butter, flour, or cover with baking paper a 24cm round pan. It's smaller than mine, but I think with a charlotte mold, 18cm type is even better for the final look. Pour batter and bake 45 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover the cake with foil and watch from time to time.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Cut the apple into small pieces (it's easier to spread) and put them in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water. Place over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the pieces are easily crushed under a spoon.

Break the chocolate pieces and add them to the apples, stirring to avoid it to cook. Once it is melted, remove from heat.

For an even smoother sauce, pass it to the blender, otherwise unmold your cake, cut it in half in height, and spread the apple compote and replace the head on top.

A perfect tea cake!

Detail from The Mirror, by Sir Frank Dicksee.