This recipe for zucchini cake was inspired by a deli in Denver’s Larimer Square called The Market. They make a zucchini cake with fresh fruit and a cream cheese frosting that they call the Spring Fling, and by Kelli’s taste buds, it’s one of the best cakes she’s ever had. Needless to say, we set out to develop our own gluten-free version, and after several iterations playing with ratios, we’re pretty pleased with the result. We hope you are, too!
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups white sugar
2 cups unpeeled shredded zucchini
2 1/2 cups GF flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Steps:
- Combine the eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar and zucchini.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
- Beat well in a mixer.
- Pour batter equally into two greased and GF-floured 8-inch round pans
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
- Let the cakes cool on a rack until room temperature. This is a good time to make the cream cheese frosting.
- In a mixer, cream together 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup room temperature butter.
- Gradually work in 2 cups powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Mix until light and fluffy.
- To construct the cake, place the first cake layer on the serving plate or cake tray, spread the top with cream cheese frosting, and layer with fresh fruit (sliced red grapes, mango, strawberries, kiwi).
- Place the second cake layer over the first, and spread cream cheese frosting over the entire cake (sides and top). Finish with a layer of well-arranged fruit on top.
- Enjoy!
– Pete
I’m a celiac and live in Denver, and I know exactly which cake you are talking about! Sadly I’ve never tried it but have been told by many gluten eating friends that it’s amazing. I can’t wait to try making my own. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Amanda
Enjoy the recipe, Amanda! Hopefully it will make you forget all about the “real thing” in LoDo. My two cents: this one tastes just as good, if not better! Of course, I’m biased!
Cheers, Pete
this cake is the best! I’m a cake lover and I live in Chicago now, believe me nothing like this cake, Im trying to find somone who sales it 🙁 I miss Denver
Hi Anonymous… I recommend you give our recipe a try! If you loved the Denver version, I think you’ll love this GF version too!
Cheers, Pete
I cannot get this cake to rise? It bubbles like crazy, then collapses! Any insight would be great… this has happened twice now!
Hi ForTheBirds… Can you give us some additional info? Are you making any ingredients subs? At what altitude do you live? Any further details can better help us troubleshoot.
Cheers, Pete
Hi, In this recipe it calls for 2 cups of sugar. However, in the directions it states 2 cups powdered sugar. Can you tell me which one to use?
Thanks,
New to Gluten Free 🙂
Hi Anonymous – The cake portion has 2 cups white sugar in it and after the cake is baked we provide a recipe for the frosting, which includes 2 cups powdered sugar. Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Thanks,
Kelli
I just made this recipe and it was a big hit with everyone in the family. I used 2 cups of rice flour and then 1/2 cup of almond flour with an additional 1/4 c of unsweetened apple sauce to keep it moist. It was so delicious. Thank you for a great cake that will be seen again this Easter!
New to Gluten Free 🙂
Just noticed that this recipe calls for “gluten free flour” but no xanthan gum. Wondering if that is assuming that the flour blend already has it but if not, add it??
Hi Lindsay,
We have reworked this recipe since we originally posted it and have made the following changes:
decrease sugar to 1 3/4 cups
decrease salt to 1/2 teaspoon
add 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
I hope this helps! We did make this without xanthan gum back in 2008 and it still works, but it is more successful with the changes above.
Happy baking!
Kelli
This cake recipe is oh so delicious! We used to buy very often for different occasions and my sister in law prefers this recipe instead! We live in Denver and it is a crowd pleaser!