Lemon Zucchini Tea Time Cake with Roasted Hazelnuts

At my house, we had trouble eating all of the zucchini we planted last year. If you experience the same problem, then this recipe is the perfect way to use up some of those over-abundant veggies. Enjoy with a local tea at 3 p.m. 

Ingredients:

Serves 8 to 10

3/4 cup coconut oil, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups shredded zucchini
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Hazelnuts roasted, then roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275˚F. Grease the inside of a cake pan. Chop 1/2 cup of hazelnuts and place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Slide sheet pan in the oven and let them roast for 7-10 minutes. Set hazelnuts aside to cool and then roughly chop them on cutting board.

Raise oven temperature to 350˚F.Place the zucchini on a kitchen towel and gently squeeze out the excess moisture. Set aside. Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light in color, about 2 minutes. Add the 3/4 cup oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and beat until well-blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined, about 1 minute; do not over-mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place cake pan in oven and set timer for 45 minutes or until a wooden stick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Let cake cool, loosen edges of cake from pan with a knife and then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Once cool, spread cream cheese frosting on top and add blueberries.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 16-ounce bag of powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended.

Add sugar gradually, beating together each addition until blended.