This is an easy one-bowl cake that comes together in a flash. To make it even easier, I chose to bake it in a deep springform pan so there is no fussing or mussing with cake layers and icing. However, I encourage you to put an extra-generous pile of icing on the top of the cake so no one feels shortchanged in that department. This cream cheese whip recipe has become one of my personal favorites—it’s a much lighter alternative to the buttercream I have traditionally iced my cakes with but honestly just as delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups pastry flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup cold cream cheese (the real deal, not the spreadable kind - see Note)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 cup cold whipping cream (see Note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (see Note)
Preparation
To make the zucchini cake, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter and flour a deep 8-inch cake pan or a springform pan. (If you would prefer to make a layer cake, you can also use two regular 8-inch cake pans and divide the batter evenly between them.)
On a large piece of parchment paper, sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to whisk until well combined.
In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder and hot water and stir to dissolve. Add the coffee to the batter and whisk to combine.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter and whisk again to combine. Add the grated zucchini to the batter and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
Place the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
To make the cream cheese whip: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until very soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the mixer to low and add the icing sugar. Continue to beat on low until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
With the mixer still running on low, slowly add the cream. Once incorporated, turn the mixer to high and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla paste and beat again to combine.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake stand and generously spread the cream cheese whip across the top.
Note: Very important to the success of this cream cheese whip recipe is the temperature of your ingredients: make sure your cream cheese and cream are nice and cold. If not, the fat will not be able to emulsify, meaning it won’t be able to hold air particles, which will prevent those lovely soft peaks from forming. If you don’t have vanilla paste, you can always substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or the inside of one vanilla pod.
Excerpted from The Side Gardener, by Rosie Daykin. Copyright © 2024 Rosie Daykin. Photographs by Andrew Montgomery. Published by Appetite an imprint of Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
