So zucchini is on again at my house. My one plant is going crazy, just like last year. I’ve been making recipes that I loved from last year, but I am also trying out a bunch of new recipes too. Now, I have a great zucchini cake/bar recipe that I love, but I saw this recipe for Pineapple Zucchini Cake on the Pioneer Woman’s new site called Tasty Kitchen. It’s a site that I see as being similar to allrecipes.com.
You can become a member and then members can post and share recipes with other members. This recipe happens to be posted from “lindainmo”. This recipe really interested me because of the the addition of pineapple and coconut to the ingredients. The other great thing about this recipe is the only fat used in the cake is 3 tablespoons of canola oil.
The frosting isn’t too bad either, only 2 tablespoons of butter and reduced fat cream cheese (which I used).
I did alter the frosting recipe slightly, leaving out the vanilla extract and using pineapple juice in the frosting instead. I love my zucchini cake recipe, but I now also love this one. My other cake recipe is more like a traditional cake as far as texture goes, it’s more smooth. This cake is deliciously moist and full of texture from pineapple and coconut. I put walnuts on the top too which also added a nice crunch and flavor. I’m usually not a fan of putting nuts in the cake because the nuts tend to get soft and loose their nice crunch.
The frosting can also make the nuts soft too if they sit on there for a while, so I just sprinkle on the nuts right before serving to maintain the nice crunchiness. You must try this cake if you have any zucchini laying around. You mouth with definitely thank you. I highly recommend topping with the walnuts too. It was so delicious! In the notes on the recipe it also said you could use carrots in place of the zucchini.
Here is what you need to make the
Pineapple Zucchini Cake
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR (CAN USE ALL WHITE FLOUR)
- SUGAR
- SWEETENED FLAKED COCONUT
- BAKING SODA
- SALT
- GROUND CINNAMON
- FRESHLY GRATED NUTMEG OR DRIED NUTMEG
- GINGER
- CANOLA OIL
- EGGS
- VANILLA
- ZUCCHINI
- CANNED CRUSHED PINEAPPLE IN JUICE
- BUTTER
- LOW-FAT CREAM CHEESE (CAN USE FULL-FAT CREAM CHEESE)
- POWDERED SUGAR
- PINEAPPLE JUICE
- WALNUTS OR PECANS (OPTIONAL TO GO ON TOP OF THE CAKE)
Pineapple Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (can use all white flour, I used all white)
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (1/4 to 1/2 tsp), optional (I used a couple dashes of dried nutmeg)
- 1 pinch ginger (about 1/16 tsp or so), optional (I used this)
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups grated (unpeeled) zucchini (*see Note)
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve juice for frosting) Frosting
- 2 Tbsp butter, Softened
- 8 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened (can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
- 2 cups powdered sugar, approx.
- 2 tsp pineapple juice
- chopped walnuts Or pecans (optional to go on top of the cake)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
- Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
- Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for about 33-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and pineapple juice just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or more pineapple juice if necessary (I didn’t need any). Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts (Right before serving), if desired.
Notes
NOTES : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery.
And this recipe can be turned into a Carrot Cake just by substituting shredded carrots for the zucchini.
30 comments
Pineapple Zucchini cake
Are you sure that’s only 1-1/2 cups of flour total? You mention that if your batter is too dry well mine is the opposite. Seems very runny. The cake cooked up nicely but now that I try it, it’s almost too moist.
Yes, that is all you need. The batter begins dry but as the mix it will become wet.
[…] Pineapple Zucchini Cake – this is my FAVORITE zucchini cake! […]
[…] Pineapple Zucchini Cake – this is my FAVORITE zucchini cake! […]
[…] for even more yummy ideas.  One that I just love but didn’t included in the fab five is the pineapple zucchini cake.  So make it too, it’s divine!  Also please look at a special addition to the bottom of […]
[…] for even more yummy ideas.  One that I just love but didn’t included in the fab five is the pineapple zucchini cake.  So make it too, it’s divine!  Also please look at a special addition to the bottom of […]
[…] Pineapple Zucchini Cake (use carrots in place of the zucchini) […]
[…] Pineapple Zucchini Cake (use carrots in place of the zucchini) […]
[…] Best Cake Recipe of 2009 – Pineapple Zucchini Cake […]
[…] Best Cake Recipe of 2009 – Pineapple Zucchini Cake […]
[…] with Pumpkin Dip – still doing the pumpkin thing Apple Dumplings – similar to apple pie Pineapple Zucchini Cake (or you can use carrots in place of zucchini) – this cake is so good it would work for any […]
[…] with Pumpkin Dip – still doing the pumpkin thing Apple Dumplings – similar to apple pie Pineapple Zucchini Cake (or you can use carrots in place of zucchini) – this cake is so good it would work for any […]
We made this to take to a family reunion–it was a hit!!
We made this to take to a family reunion–it was a hit!!
it looks super yummy! i really like your blog.
nothing better than sneaking fruits and veg into something sweet 🙂
it looks super yummy! i really like your blog.
nothing better than sneaking fruits and veg into something sweet 🙂
This looks so good! I love the healthy kick to it too! 🙂 yum!
This looks so good! I love the healthy kick to it too! 🙂 yum!
Looks like a must try recipe. I love that is has less fat and whole wheat flour!
Looks like a must try recipe. I love that is has less fat and whole wheat flour!
Yum! I'm kickin' myself for not throwing some zucchini seeds in the ground this year!
Yum! I'm kickin' myself for not throwing some zucchini seeds in the ground this year!
I saw this one a while ago on PW's site when she made and I've had it bookmarked to make ever since. I'm happy to hear that it really is a good one!
I saw this one a while ago on PW's site when she made and I've had it bookmarked to make ever since. I'm happy to hear that it really is a good one!
Yum, Laura! This looks great. I also saw this on Tasty Kitchen. I'll have to give it a try. I love pineapple and zucchini together!
Yum, Laura! This looks great. I also saw this on Tasty Kitchen. I'll have to give it a try. I love pineapple and zucchini together!
Sounds really good. I am loving all your zucchini recipes.
Sounds really good. I am loving all your zucchini recipes.
I made this cake to take to a family dinner and it was a huge hit! I could have eaten the whole thing myself. I used all whole wheat flour instead of part wheat and part white. I will be making this all year long. On PW's website she said your could use carrots or apples in place of the zucchini too. I love your website, I use it all the time!
I made this cake to take to a family dinner and it was a huge hit! I could have eaten the whole thing myself. I used all whole wheat flour instead of part wheat and part white. I will be making this all year long. On PW's website she said your could use carrots or apples in place of the zucchini too. I love your website, I use it all the time!