Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Are you sick of sweets yet? It sure seems like I've been posting a lot of treats lately. My dinner to dessert recipe ratio is a little low. I've just been really lucky that all of my baked goods are turning out so well! I'd like to think it's all me, but it probably has more to do with finding such spectacular recipes! I think this one proves the latter true. Especially since on the first go, I forgot to include the baking soda and ended up with a dense and chewy zucchini- studded pancake instead of a light and fluffy sheet cake. The really sad part is that it took me several hours after I finished baking it to realize my mistake. I did notice that the cake hadn't risen very much in the oven. But it wasn't until I cut off a little corner a tried a bite, that I knew something was wrong. (Lesson learned- always test your cooking before serving it to others!) Upon re-analyzing the recipe I discovered my mistake! Aha! The leavening! You'd think someone who bakes as much as me would not have committed such an elementary error. And figured out sooner why she had a hockey puck in the pan.

So I started over. I hadn't yet iced the cake, so at least I was able to salvage the frosting. I had to make a quick trip back to the grocery store- more zucchini, another can of pineapple, and eggs. And then, much  more carefully the second time around, I baked this cake again. I hovered close to the oven making sure the batter was bubbling and reaching its way towards the top of the pan. The addition of baking soda made such a difference! 30 minutes later I had a much taller, springy, moist sheet cake. Much better.

And let me tell you, this cake was worth the two tries! It is devastatingly delicious! Don't let all those fruits and vegetables fool you- this cake is deceptively rich and luxurious (especially with the pineapple juice- spiked cream cheese frosting)! I took an embarrassingly large slice, and after groaning in excitement with each bite, ate another, and... you get the point.

Several notes:

This recipe could be turned into carrot cake with the substitution of shredded carrots for zucchini. You could also add chopped nuts or raisins.

The baking soda is essential- trust me.

You really don't have to peel the zucchini before grating them. The skin adds beautiful flecks of green and doesn't present a textural problem.

The coconut is very subtle. My husband hates coconut and he loved this cake!

While the whole wheat pastry flour is not essential, it adds a hearty nuttiness to this cake. The original author commented that she has further increased the ratio of whole wheat with success! Whole wheat pastry flour is specifically designed for baked goods, so I can't confidently recommend using regular whole wheat.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
pinch ginger
3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unpeeled zucchini, grated (If you are using a large zucchini you might want to scoop out the center before grating and/or squeeze the excess moisture out of the shredded zucchini.)
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved
walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar (to desired consistency)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. pineapple juice (to desired consistency)
walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or butter and flour a 9x13 baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices. In s separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini and crushed pineapple. Fold wet ingredients into dry. (At this point add the chopped nuts, if using.) The batter will be thick and somewhat dry, but keep stirring and it will come together. You can always add a splash of pineapple juice for extra moisture. (But remember the zucchini will shed it's moisture while baking.)

3. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven to cool completely on a wire rack.

4. To prepare the frosting, cream butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add a splash of pineapple juice and adjust powdered sugar if necessary. (Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.) Spread frosting over the top of the cake. Garnish with chopped nuts (optional).

 Makes a 9x13 sheet cake.

(Adapted from Tasty Kitchen)