I came to the realisation that I have not posted a cake for quite some time now. It was about time! But this apple, carrot and zucchini cake with ginger and turmeric….?!?! oh boy, it is a cake that reaches a totally different level. Have you thought about having cake and taking your 5 a day? 🤣 This cake gives you just that so it has to be the ultimate cake.
It is soo flavourful, nice and moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. To me it’s just that gorgeous, gorgeous treat that you could have a lot of.
I’ve been making this for quite few years now and kids loved it from the first bite. Love at first taste you would say. You could not possibly not love this cake especially if you are a carrot cake lover.
Five a day in a cake…ha!… yes it is possible
Yes, there are quite a few ingredients in here but you can easily mix-and-match the fruit and veg in here as you wish. I also use pumpkin instead of courgette sometimes or instead of carrots and that’s also delicious.
I am sure you will love this coulour and flavour full cake as much as we do, it is pretty healthy considering most of the ingredients here, the apples, courgette or zucchini, walnuts, turmeric, coconut sugar, super nutritious.
A great way of making your chidren have some veggies that they may not have otherwise. I mean not all kids love zucchini, right?
Here you definitely find a cocktail of flavours, just imagine that slightly toasted walnuts, with lemon, freshly grated ginger, apple, carrot, nutmeg oh, la la! I am happily singing now and almost feel like leaving my chair and all this writing and get to the kitchen and make it again despite only having it few days back.
Other fresh fruit recipes to enjoy …
Do you like cakes that contain fresh fruits, here are some more to enjoy, a superb peach and blueberry one, another peach and almond flour cake recipe or even this fresh strawberries gateau.
There is a lot can be said about this recipe but I will stop myself here and get the baking going. I am sure you can no longer wait to have a bite 😉
Apple, carrot and courgette (zucchini) cake with ginger and turmeric
This apple, carrot and zucchini cake is to die for. Superbly moist on the inside and crspy on the outside, it the ultimate healthy version of a cake where the 5 a day intake is almost achieved. You will go back for more and more without a doubt.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 380 g spelt flour light and sweet
- 225 g butter softened
- 125 g grated courgette/zucchini
- 210 g carrot grated
- 150 g chopped apples
- 60 g walnuts chopped and toasted
- 250 g coconut sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt *
- 1 orange or lemon its juice
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tbsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp soda bicarbonate
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
For frosting:
- 200 g Philadelphia cheese or any cream cheese
- 1 lemon its juice
- 90 g icing sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven at 180C or 350F and prepare two oven proof loaf pans (8X4in) by greasing those well with butter or line with parchment paper.
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Wash, peel and grate the carrots, courgette and chop the apples.
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Toast and chop the walnuts.
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Squeeze all the juice out of the courgette by using a clean kitchen towel or by simply squeezing a fair amount of grated courgette between your palms until you managed to squeeze all the juice out.
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In a freestanding mixer, mix the softened butter and the sugar until nice and creamy. Add the eggs one by one mixing 30 seconds between them.
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Add the orange or the lemon juice, salt (unless using slightly salted butter), vanilla and the freshly grated ginger. Mix for a further 30 seconds until it is all incorporated.
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In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the soda bicarbonate, baking powder, turmeric and cinnamon powders as well as the freshly grated nutmeg.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix with a spatula until incorporated.
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Add the grated carrots, courgette and chopped apple and the toasted and chopped nuts. Mix all in with a spatula.
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Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tins and bake at 180C in the middle of the oven for about 50 min until it bounces back when pressed slightly and gently in the middle or until they become nice and golden brown. Turn midway if necessary.
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While the cake is baking prepare the frosting by whisking the cream cheese with the sugar and the lemon or orange juice. Add as much lemon/orange juice as needed until it gets to the desired fluidity/consistency, enough to make a beautiful drizzle.
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Allow the cakes to cool completely on a cooling rack before drizzling the frosting. Enjoy
!
Recipe Notes
* increase the sugar quantity if you like your cake any sweeter. I have made it with even less sugar than this and it was still beautiful. The frosting adds to its sweetness so bare that in mind.
* it is very important that the eggs are at room temperature when used.
* to keep this cake egg free you can replace those by a tbsp soaked chia seeds. Soak for at least 40 min.
* if using salted or slightly salted butter do not add any salt.
* the apples you can peel or leave the skin on for more fibre. I always use organic apples and therefore I never peel them.
I love carrot cake, especially in the colder weather. The addition of ginger is just brilliant!
Thank you so much Immaculate. Fruit cakes are by far my faves too. Have a superb weekend!
This cake does look like a special treat. I love that the ingredients are so healthy. I am going to make a pretty batch for my family. This is the perfect time of year for all of those fall flavors!
Thank you Katie, I cannot wait for you to try this and maybe come back and let me know how did your family liked it 😉
oh my word! This is health food in cake form, lol! I love the addition of turmeric. I haven’t tried that in a sweet dish, only savory! I have to give this a try!
Hi Beth, Thank you so much – it really is indeed! I use a lot of turmeric in my cooking but tonnes in baking too. I add it to breads, cakes even for colour in frosting – I am turmeric-mad I know 😉 lol. You must give this a try, I am so convinced you will love it. Have a lovely weekend!
This cake looks so full of umami flavors, I can understand why your children loved it at first bite, must absolutely try it a.s.a.p., perfect for the season!
Hi Patty, thanks so much, it really is a delightfully flavoursome cake that is soo good, it will be a regular, you must try it as soon as 😉
What a perfect cake for fall. And I love that I can use up some extra carrots and zucchini from dinner the other night! Great idea!
Thank you Nikole, I am really glad you liked the recipe, it is perfect for this season but truthfully, it is a cake that’s good any time all throughout the year 😉