Beet Zucchini & Carrot Naked Layer Cake

If you add veggies to cake then that makes it healthy - right? 

If so I have the healthiest cake ever for you.  Its got all these cool vegetables in it: 

beets, carrots AND zucchini

It's pretty much like carrot cake but swap out the carrots and add in either shredded zucchini or beets.  You could add them all into the same layer cake too - but I wanted separate layers.

Why you ask?!! Well since you asked:

1) I wanted to see if you can taste a difference in the veggie layers (you can!)

and 

2) I wanted to have distinct layers and colors when you slice into the cake (because I thought it would look pretty and it does!)

Also I wanted to do one of those minimally frosted naked cakes so you could see some of the layers through the frosting.  I used my new Russian piping tips to add some cream cheese frosting flowers on top.  Nice and simple.

I love these tips!! 

I did another post on them here raving about how easy it is to pipe flowers with them.

I love how the layers came out and that you can see the different veggie layers.  The cake was also so dang tasty.  I made it as a birthday cake for my sister - you know a much more grown up cake now that we're both 40+, I mean 29).  And it's healthy because duh, veggies! 

At least that's what we told ourselves as we ate another slice or 3.  And since its September its a great way to use up all your overflowing zucchini if you grow them - or they are super cheap right now in food stores locally.  

I'm not going to moan about how I can't believe summer is over already since I do that every year but I guess bring on the pumpkin! Actually pumpkin may be another neat layer to add to this cake too!

Beet Zucchini and Carrot Layer Cake

by Michelle Clausen July-24-2016

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded beets
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1-2 drops of orange and green food gel (optional to give the carrot and zucchini layers a little more color)
• 2-3 cups cream cheese frosting

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat sugar, oil, and eggs in mixer.
3. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, vanilla, and salt.
4. Separate equal amounts of batter into 3 separate bowls.
5. Stir in shredded vegetables into each of the bowls and mix until just combined.  Add any extra food color to each bowl (optional).
6. Spray 6 inch baking pans with floured non-stick spray and pour batter into each pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool.
8. Trim layers until they are even and same sized layers.
9. Frost with cream cheese icing.
10. Pipe flowers on top with icing.

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 60 mins Yield: 1 - 3 layer 6 inch cake

Cupcakes Made with Rainbow Carrots

Hey Peeps! Sharing a really easy and yummy cupcake with you guys today.  You know how I love rainbows right?? Well I was at Trader Joe's the other day and found these cool Carrots of Many Colors!  Yup, rainbow carrots!! (Insert huge Squeee!) 

They come in a 2 pound bag for only 2 bucks and they're organic too.  Can't beat that.  AND did I mention the colors?? I roasted them for dinner one nite with a little honey drizzle at the end. So.Darn.Yummy.  

I had to do something with the rest so decided to shred them up and make some carrot cupcakes (or you can call them carrot muffins, whatev you prefer).  I love love (love!) the colors.  Orange, red, yellow, purple.  The purple one is actually yellow inside.  How fun is that?

And the batter for these mixes up so quickly.  You can be done in about 1/2 hour with everything!

Although not needed at all, you can add a little dollop of your fav frosting (I added a little coconut buttercream I had in the fridge).  To add even a little more color to these cupcakes I also added a little shredded green zucchini and some sweetened coconut to the mix.  

See all the fun rainbow specs inside?!

And of course I had to add a little carrot heart on top!

Calling it my first Valentines Day treat! V-Day treats don't always need to be pink and red, right?!  

Have a great week everyone!

Cupcakes Made with Rainbow Carrots (recipe adapted from Epicurious Carrot Cake)

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 cups of shredded rainbow carrots
• 1/2 cup of shredded zucchini (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon of shredded sweetened coconut (optional)

For Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add flour to a bowl and add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
3. Add brown sugar to mixing bowl and add/mix in one egg at a time until well incorporated.
4. Add flour mixture, 1 cup at a time to the sugar/egg mixture until just incorporated.
5. Stir in the carrot, zucchini, coconut.
6. Fill cupcake tin/liners 2/3 way full and bake for 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Eat! (You can also add a dollop of your favorite frosting, but it's really not needed!)