chocolate zucchini cake with dye-free pink icing

 

INGREDIENTS

 
 

Ingredients for Cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup date sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup avocado oil

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, packed, include all moisture without draining

 

Ingredients for Pink Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

6 tsp beet juice

1 tsp lemon juice

 METHOD

 

Instructions for Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and grease or use parchment paper to line an 8x8 baking dish.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.

  3. In another mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, apple sauce, oil and cocoa powder.

  4. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into wet mixture and stir carefully until combined.

  5. Add the wet to the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated zuchini. Careful not to over-mix.

  6. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a fork or toothpick comes out clean.
    Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then transfer to wire rack or plate to cool completely.

  7. Top with icing. Wait 5 minutes for icing to harden, then add more layers of icing if desired, waiting 5 minutes between each layer.