Well hello blog! It has been forever….so long in fact I wondered whether I should keep this thing active.  We are enjoying a long weekend in celebration of India’s 68th year of independence.  Since it is kinda a birthday….and my kids kinda like birthday cake, and singing Happy Birthday, I set out to create a Canada-Meets-India Birthday Cake so I settled on a Zucchini Chai Cake.  And oh yah, since there is lots of zucchini in this cake, you can eat it for breakfast too. Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.

Oh – and I do apologize about the food photography. Baking with a 19-month-old is a challenge in itself. Taking photos at the same time usually ends up in a fight for the camera..a fight that I tend to loose.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups grated zucchini with peel, put in strainer and pressed to remove some moisture
  • 2 small eggs (note the eggs in India are small, so you may just need one large egg here)
  •  2 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup plain yoghurt (dahi)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups maida flour (or all purpose will do).
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg whites until they are frothy. Whisk together the oil, sugar, yoghurt and vanilla. Add the grated zucchini and mix to combine.

In a small bowl mix together the remaining dry ingredients.  Incorporate into the large bowl and mix until just combined.

Lightly grease, or line a 9″x13″ baking dish with parchment paper. You could also split this between two loaf pans, or use a deep round pan.  Pour the  cake batter into the prepared dish and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Put on a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese and Yoghurt Glaze

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 package cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • cinnamon for sprinkling on top.

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add  the vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Slowly add two cups of icing sugar,once incorporated add the remaining icing sugar and mix to combine.  Add yoghurt 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches the desired mixing consistency.  Beat the glaze for a minute or two.  Spread over warm cake so it soaks in a touch and sprinkle with cinnamon.