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Spring Fling Cake Recipe

Moist zucchini cake layered with cream cheese frosting, topped with fresh seasonal fruit and glossy apricot glaze.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the cake:
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • zest of one orange
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for frosting
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
For the frosting:
  • 3/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Apricot Glaze
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
  • 1 teaspoon water
Fruit for the cake:
  • 1 pint strawberries cleaned stemmed and sliced
  • 4 kiwi fruit peeled and sliced
  • 2 mangoes peeled and sliced
  • 1 pint blueberries or raspberries
  • one clementine peeled
  • Or whatever you like and is in season

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
  • Hand mixer (optional)
  • Two 9-inch round cake pans
  • Sifter
  • Cooling rack
  • Offset spatula
  • Small saucepan
  • Pastry brush

Method
 

Prepare the Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  3. Beat together zucchini, eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream, orange zest, and 1/2 tablespoon vanilla.
  4. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture.
  6. Beat until well combined. Batter should be wet and pourable.
  7. Divide batter evenly between pans.
  8. Bake 50–60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Cool in pans 10 minutes.
  10. Remove from pans and cool completely on racks.
Prepare the Frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing.
  3. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks.
  5. Gently fold whipped cream into frosting.
  6. Do not overmix.
Assemble the Cake
  1. Slice cooled cakes into 2–3 even layers.
  2. Place the flattest baked side facing up for the top layer.
  3. Spread frosting over each inner layer.
  4. Add a layer of sliced fruit over frosting.
  5. Stack layers carefully.
  6. Frost the top and sides evenly.
  7. Arrange fruit decoratively in overlapping circles on top.
Apricot Glaze
  1. Heat apricot jam in a small saucepan.
  2. Add 1 teaspoon water to thin.
  3. Stir frequently until smooth.
  4. Strain if jam contains fruit chunks.
  5. Brush glaze gently over fruit only.
  6. Avoid brushing exposed frosting.
  7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.