An Inspired Cook

This is one of my favorite bundt cakes.  It’s also a Birthday cake for my youngest son Cameron who just turned 26.  That sure does make me feel old!  It’s always hard to make something sweet for Cam because he doesn’t like very many desserts.  But the one thing I can count on is his love for carrot or zucchini or banana cake.  Sometimes I make cupcakes so he can just pick up one on the go but this year I wanted to make something a little different.  This cake is healthier with natural applesauce replacing the oil to make a very moist cake.  And it has a layer of cream cheese filling that makes the cake so yummy as well as a pretty swirl in every slice.

You’ll need 3 cups of shredded carrots and zucchini, 1 cup of natural applesauce, 3 eggs and a dry mix of flour, sugar, baking soda cinnamon and salt.

Start by mixing the eggs and applesauce together.  You can whisk this by hand if you want or . . .

You can also use a hand mixer.

Next blend in the dry ingredients.

When mixed together the batter should be fairly thick but smooth.

Fold in 1 1/2 cups each of grated carrots and grated zucchini.  You can also add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts but Cam doesn’t like nuts in his cake so I left them out.

Cake batter is done, set aside for now.

Time to make the cream cheese filling.  You’ll need 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese.  The Neufchatel cheese with less fat works just as well.  Plus an egg and 1/4 cup of sugar.

The cream cheese should be at room temperature or place in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften it.  Whip the cream cheese with the whisk attachment of a mixer until it is free of lumps and very smooth.

Add the egg and sugar to the cream cheese and whip until smooth and creamy.

That looks good.

Prepare a bundt pan by rubbing butter along the inside making sure to get inside each crevice. Then sprinkle some flour and rotate the pan until the flour has lightly coated the pan.

Pour approximately 1/2 of the cake batter into the bundt pan.

Spoon the cream cheese filling over the cake batter.  Run a knife through the center to make a slight swirl of cream cheese throughout the cake.

Pour the remaining batter over the cream cheese filling.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 – 60 minutes.  Test cake with a toothpick, if it comes out clean the cake is done.

Let cake sit in bundt pan for a few minutes to cool.  The cake should come out easily when cooled sufficiently.  If needed run a knife gently around the edges to loosen.

Remove the cake easily by turning over a plate or cake stand.

I wasn’t done yet and made a cream cheese drizzle to spoon over the top.

And a little sifted powdered sugar makes this cake even prettier.





Carrot Zucchini Bundt Cake

2 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Natural Applesauce (unsweetened)
3 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Carrots, grated
1 1/2 cups Zucchini, grated
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients.  Beat applesauce and eggs together either by hand or with a hand mixer.  Begin adding the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.  Fold in the carrots and zucchini.  Set aside.

Use a hand mixer or whisk by hand the cream cheese until it is smooth and free of lumps.  Add the sugar and egg.  Whisk until the cream cheese mix is smooth and creamy.

Prepare a bundt pan by using butter and flour to coat the pan.  Pour approximately half of the cake batter into the bundt pan.  Spoon the cream cheese filling over top and run a knife through the center to make a swirl of cream cheese throughout the cake.  Pour the remaining batter over top spreading to cover cream cheese mix.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes.  Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake to check for doneness.  Cool in the pan until the cake loosens from the sides of the pan.  Turn cake over onto a plate or cake stand.  Spoon cream cheese drizzle over top of cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Serves 12

Cream Cheese Drizzle 

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Milk or more if needed

Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Beat on medium until all the sugar is incorporated.  Mixture will be thick like a frosting.  Begin adding milk until mixture becomes thin enough to drizzle over cake.