Chocolate and zucchini naked cake with cherries

We already talked about naked cakes a few weeks ago (if you missed it, be sure to check out the post where I talked about the return of traditional cakes ). Then Rosa, author of Pemberley Cup&Cakes , showed us an example of this, a red fruit cake that we loved. Given the great acceptance, today she brings us another naked cake, which I bet you'll love just by its appearance.

Although the use of vegetables in baking may surprise some, the truth is that it is neither a novelty nor an uncommon practice. In addition to courgette, the star of today's recipe, it is also easy to find desserts made with carrot, pumpkin, beetroot, rhubarb...

Of course, the idea is not to mislead anyone; we are not going to pretend that just because we use vegetables, a succulent cake like this one is magically transformed into a guilt-free feast for our consciences. But it will certainly be healthier. Well, although a cake will always be a cake with all that entails, this chocolate and zucchini cake in particular is extremely light and fluffy; the use of vegetable oil, pure cocoa, yogurt and whole cane sugar make it a really balanced bite, with a variety of nuances, in my opinion, exquisite.

So, what do we get by adding some of these vegetables to our cakes or biscuits? Well, to start with, vegetables not only help to achieve an extra juicy texture, but they also add a touch of natural sweetness. And, although it may seem incredible, there will hardly be a trace of the original flavour of the vegetable used. Come on, if you don't say it, practically no one would suspect that they are there, hidden or camouflaged to take your pastry creations to an undoubtedly higher level.

Do you dare to take the test?

INGREDIENTS (for 14-16 servings)

- All ingredients must be at room temperature, unless otherwise indicated.

- 1 tablespoon equals 15 ml; 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml

For the cake:

- 325 g of normal wheat flour
- 90 g pure cocoa powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs (L)
- 300 g of whole brown cane sugar
- Zest of an orange
- 180 ml sunflower oil or extra virgin olive oil, mild flavour (according to personal preference)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 300 g courgettes (approx. 1 ½ large courgettes)
- 125 g of natural yogurt

- A handful of cherries, to decorate

For the filling

- 350 g pitted cherries in preserves or light syrup
- 50 g cherry jam
- 225 g Mascarpone cheese, very cold
- 240 ml of liquid whipping cream (min. 35% MG), very cold
- 120 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

ELABORATION

About the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C with heat from above and below and place the rack in the central position.

2. Using a pastry brush, lightly grease two round, non-stick moulds with removable bases (one measuring 20 cm Ø and the other 24 cm Ø) . Line the bottom and sides with baking paper and grease again. Set aside.
3. Wash and peel the courgettes, remove the seeds from inside with a small spoon and grate them (you can also chop them very finely with a food processor). Drain in a large colander over a large bowl and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl , using a sieve (or a large strainer , if necessary), sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix with a whisk to combine all the ingredients well and set aside.
5. In another large bowl , rub the orange zest together with the sugar with your fingertips. This will help release all the oils contained in the fruit's skin and make the most of its aroma.
6. Add the eggs to the flavoured sugar and beat vigorously with a whisk (by hand or machine) for about 3 minutes until you get a fluffy, dense and visibly paler mixture.
7. Next, gradually add the oil to the previous mixture in a trickle, stirring constantly, now more gently, until completely integrated.
8. Next, add the yogurt, vanilla extract and grated or chopped zucchini and mix gently until you get a homogeneous dough.
9. Finally, we add the dry ingredients that we had reserved (point 4) in two batches, mixing gently with the help of a spatula, just enough after each addition until they are integrated and a uniform color is achieved.
10. We divide the mixture between the two moulds that we had prepared, making sure that in both cases the dough reaches the same height, and we tap the moulds against the counter a few times to eliminate the air bubbles inside; in this way, we also help the surface of the dough to level itself.
11. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean. (The smaller cake usually cooks a few minutes faster than the larger one.)
12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the moulds for about 10 minutes. After this time, carefully remove from the moulds (when hot, cakes are very fragile) and allow to cool completely on a rack before assembling the cake.

About the filling:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the cherries, previously drained, together with the jam, slightly warmed, and let it cool.

2. Once the cakes and the cherry and jam mixture have cooled, place the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and, using a whisk (preferably an electric one, for convenience and speed), beat until the cream is whipped, that is, until the mixture acquires a firm consistency (we must not overdo it or the cream will curdle). We must apply it immediately or keep it refrigerated until use.

Assembling the cake:

1. You may need to level your cakes before assembling the cake. It's very common for cakes to get that typical domed shape on top when they rise during baking, which can cause your cake to not be completely stable once assembled. The most effective way to do this is to use a lyre , so you can make sure they are at the desired height and perfectly straight (alternatively, you can also use a long, sharp serrated knife; place it parallel to the work surface and cut carefully so as not to twist until you get a straight surface).
2. Again using the lyre , we now cut both cakes crosswise in half, resulting in 2 pairs of cake discs: 2 with a larger diameter and 2 with a smaller diameter. Before starting to assemble our cake, we will remove the loose crumbs from each cake with the help of a pastry brush to prevent them from mixing with the filling later.

3. Place one of the larger sponge cakes on the base where you are going to present your cake and spread a little more than ¼ of the mascarpone and whipped cream mixture with the help of a knife or a smooth spatula, making sure that it reaches the edges and is level. On this layer, evenly spread half of the mixture of cherries macerated with the jam, making sure to drain off the excess liquid.
4. Next, place the other cake of the same diameter on the filling, making sure that both discs are centered, and press lightly so that it fits well.
5. Next, we apply another ¼ of the Mascarpone and cream mixture on the surface of this second cake and spread it evenly.
6. Now we continue with one of the smaller diameter cakes, which we will place on top of the previous one, making sure that it is perfectly seated in the centre, and we repeat the same operation as in point 3, first spreading a little more than ¼ of the Mascarpone and cream filling and then the last half of cherries and jam, draining well.

7. Finally, we cover the filling with the last sponge cake, of the same diameter as the previous one, always making sure that it is centered, and we spread the last ¼ of the Mascarpone and cream mixture over the top surface of our cake.
8. Decorate with a good handful of fresh cherries and serve.

It keeps for 3 days, well covered and refrigerated.

Pictured: Birkmann ceramic cake stand

GRADES

- To make the cream filling whip up quickly and easily, there's nothing like keeping the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them.
- In addition to or instead of cinnamon, you can use any other spice of your choice; ground cardamom, nutmeg, ginger or allspice go great with this type of cake. ¼ teaspoon will do.
- I take this opportunity to remind you that successfully preparing and baking your cakes is very simple as long as you keep in mind the most fundamental points. If you have any doubts, be sure to visit this post .
- If you have the time, it is highly recommended to let the cakes rest in the refrigerator, well wrapped in cling film, overnight. This way, we allow both the crumb and all the nuances of the different flavours to settle perfectly, resulting in a very tasty cake with an ideal consistency.

Happy week, and enjoy!
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