Polly's Lemon Zucchini Cake with Fresh Cranberries

This zucchini cake has become one of my favorite healthy cake.  My promise to myself this year is to bake or cook by adding a little bit more nutrient than to just use plain white flour.  If you have already been doing that then, you got a head start to a healthy life.  And even though it says, "Lemon" zucchini, I didn't have enough fresh lemon from my mother's lemon tree, so I used orange zest and cranberries.  I normally zest lemon, lime, and oranges in summer when they are available.  Then, I package them tight in freezer ziplock bag.  I use them through out the year.

 

My mother gave me a few zucchini, and I didn't really know what to do. Zucchini is bland and is not a favorite of mine.

I came across this recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/10754/lemon-zucchini-bars/

Yes, the original recipe is titled "bars", but mine is so fluffy, I call it the cake.

INGREDIENTS I used for my cake are -

1-1/4 C  Organic cane sugar

3/4 C Avocado Oil 

3 eggs

2 Tbsp Orange Zest from my mom's orange tree - I did not find Lemon Zest in my freezer.

Instead of 1/4 C fresh Lemon Juice, I used 1 C Frozen Cranberries - this is fresh cranberries purchased when available, and being froze.   Boil 1 C frozen cranberries with 1/2 C sugar with 2 Tbsp water for 15 min or till mushy and liquid evaporated to 1/4 C and cooled.

1-3/4 C Grated Zucchini - Squeeze as much liquid out between palms of your hand or by placing them in the cheese cloth to squeeze.   (*for this recipe, I only had 1 C of zucchini)

2 C All-purpose flour

2 tsp Baking Powder without aluminum

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Kosher Salt

I did not put nuts or use confectioner's sugar for decoration.

Preheat oven to 400'F about mid-way through you mixing the ingredients.  I don't like to heat up the house in summer time or waste energy if I can help it.

METHODS - Manually with hand whisk or use your favorite electric mixer

Beat eggs for 2 min using whisk, start adding sugar 1/4 C at a time.  Beat eggs and sugar until pale in color - this is how you give the cake the fine crumbs.  Add avocado oil, orange zest*/ Lemon zest

Shift flour, baking powder, baking soda three to four times.