Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s to the garden I go! And come back with loads of zucchini.

Ingredients

Cake

▢2 cups finely shredded and lightly drained zucchini

▢3 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature

▢1 cup (224g) vegetable oil

▢3 teaspoons vanilla extract

▢2¼ cups (450g) granulated sugar

▢3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour

▢1 teaspoon kosher salt

▢1 teaspoon baking powder

▢¼ teaspoon baking soda

▢1 pint fresh blueberries, you can reserve a few for garnish if so desired

Lemon Buttercream

▢1 cup (226g) butter, room temperature

▢3½ cups confectioners' sugar

▢juice of one lemon

▢zest of one lemon

▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract

▢⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and flour or use non-stick baking spray.

Grate a large zucchini (or two small zucchini) and place in a clean dish towel. Life the edges of the towel up and squeeze some of the extra moisture out, but you do not want the zucchini to be dry. You will want 2 total cups of shredded zucchini after it has been drained. Set aside.

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini.

Slowly stir in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently fold in the blueberries. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.

Bake 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Lemon Buttercream

Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat until well combined.

Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.

Fold in zest (If you are piping this buttercream, I recommend leaving out the zest).