Zucchini Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ahhhh the beauty of zucchini! - it is such a lovely vegetable.  Not only can it be made into something salty and savory (such as Zucchini Mac n Cheese) but it also can be made into something sweet and moist (such as Yummy Zucchini Cookies).  A very versatile offering from our Dear Mother Nature.

I've recently come upon a lovely blog called My Baking Addiction - I often feel like I have an addiction to baking (yeah, like every day!) so of course I was immediately drawn to this blog just because of it's name.  Well, once I started browsing through the blog I also became instantly in love with all of Jamie's recipes!!!!  My goodness a gold mine of fabulously amazing baking (and cooking) recipes!!!  This is where I discovered the lovely recipe of Zucchini Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.  Not only did I love the idea of using up some of the zucchini that desperately needed a home in a recipe but I was delighted to make a frosting that had none other than NH's finest maple syrup in it.  Hip Hip HOORAY!  I was NOT disappointed by this recipe.  As I know you will not be either. So go ahead and grab that zucchini that is calling your name and couple tablespoons of maple syrup and whip up this d'lish cake.

Zucchini Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

(recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Cake Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional) - I didn't have this hand so I didn't use it

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp minced crystallized ginger (optional) - nor did I have this on hand

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup veggie oil (or you could use 1/2 cup veggie oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup grated zucchini

Frosting Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2-3 Tbsp PURE maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and set aside.

2. Combine in a large bowl flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda...

...and mix well.

3. In a medium bowl combine oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and grated zucchini...

....and mix until thoroughly combined.

4. Add zucchini mixture to the flour mixture.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  Pour into prepared 8x8 baking pan....

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Cool cake completely.  You can either remove cake from pan before frosting or frost directly in pan.

Time to make the delectable frosting....

Frosting Directions:

1. Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy.  Add in maple syrup and then powdered sugar and cinnamon....

....beat all together to combine into one happy smoothness.....

.....a scrumptious treat of a frosting.....

.....frost cake as desired and enjoy! 

Happy Zucchini Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Baking!