Time for a cake or two

What's a birthday without a cake (or two). For Mandy's birthday I made a very plain chocolate cake. She is expecting baby number two and can't eat anything which resembles real food. OK I know that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it does restrict so many food items which I take for granted. Having babies was a lot easier in my day. So I played it safe and kept it plain. A plain chocolate cake is a plain chocolate cake - hence no photo. Melissa, on the other hand, has had her baby so I didn't have any restrictions and I made this lovely zucchini and pistachio spice cake with lime frosting. The recipe came from Delicious magazine and it is delicious.



zucchini & pistachio spice cake with lime frosting
Serves 10-12

3/4 cup (185ml) sunflower oil
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (75g) unsalted pistachios, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup (35g) slivered unsalted pistachios to decorate
1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
2 cups grated zucchini (about 3-4)
1 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp ground mixed space
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour

lime frosting180g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups (200g) icing sugar, sifted
250g cream cheese, softened, chopped
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius. Grease a 22cm springform pan and line base and sides with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until thick. Stir in chopped nuts, meal, zucchini and spices. Sift over soda and flours and stir to combine. Pour into pan and bake for 70 minutes (my cake didn't take this long to cook) or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in plan for 20 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool comletely.
For frosting, use electric beaters to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With motor running, gradually add cheese, beating well between additions. Add zest and juice and beat until smooth.
Using a bread knife, slice the cake into two rounds and set aside top. Spread a third of the frosting over the bottom half, then replace top and spread cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with slivered pistachios.



Enjoy!