This cake is lovely AND delicious! Zucchini makes it moist and almond flour makes it high in protein and gluten free. The tartness of cream cheese frosting balances out this coconut sugar sweetened cake.

Who knew kale plants had such pretty AND edible flowers! Great for cake decoration. 🙂

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus 5 tablespoons, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons potato starch (or corn starch is fine)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• dash sea salt
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or other sugar, white/brown)
• 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely grated zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini), squeezed of excess liquid
• 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Edible flowers like Kale flowers (shown) or mint for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 or 9 inch round. Whisk together almond flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt
2. Set a large heatproof bowl over (not in) a pot with 1 inch barely simmering water. Add eggs and whisk until foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in brown sugar and continue to whisk until mixture is fluffy and sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove bowl from pot and, using a mixer, whisk on high until mixture is thick and pale, 7 to 10 minutes (I did this in my food processor with the standard chopper blade)
3. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in melted butter, flour mixture, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and zucchini. Pour into pan and bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Invert onto a cake platter
4. With mixer (or again I used the food processor here) beat together room-temperature butter, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, and cream cheese until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Spread on top of cake.

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/907427/zucchini-almond-cake