My neighbor came over last week with a basket of cucumbers from her garden. I didn't want to let them go to waste so was thrilled when I came across this unique Cucumber Cake online. If you don't have a food processor grate the cucumbers by hand, you need them to be finely chopped. The batter is the texture of applesauce but bakes into a moist, light, spicelike cake. The cucumbers disappear into the cake but add a light freshness to the aftertaste. This is the ultimate recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting, not overly sweet but rich and tangy, the perfect topping for this unusual dessert. Bake it in your 12 inch oven, mine baked in 35 minutes with 12 coals around the bottom and 22 on top. When the cake springs back in the center, it's done. Also, be sure to add all the liquid from the processed cucumbers. When you start to run out of room in your vegetable drawer, remember this recipe and give this quirky cake a try.
Cucumber Cake
3 eggs
1 cup minus 2 Tblsp oil
1 2/3 cup sugar
2 cups cucumbers, peeled, seeded and ground in food processor
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tblsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
Lightly oil or spray a 12 inch dutch oven. Line with parchment paper.
Peel and scrape out the seeds of cucumbers. Finely chop in food processor or grate by hand.
Beat eggs until light.
Add oil, sugar, cucumbers and vanilla.
Blend flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and baking powder and add to egg mixture.
Pour into prepared dutch oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cakes springs back when pressed in center.
Ice with cream cheese frosting but is delicious without.
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner's sugar
In medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy.
Mix in vanilla.
Gradually stir in confectioner's sugar.
Store in refrigerator after use.
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Flecks of cucumber in a light, wet batter   |
I made this last night. I think I used a Dutch oven that was a little larger; my cake took about an hour and is darkly spicy with a delicate whiff of cucumber. The frosting is off the charts; it is delicious and I had enough to frost one and a half cakes. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is a definite keeper.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked the recipe and thank you for the feedback! Liddy
ReplyDeleteWe finished up the cake last night; it's been refrigerated the whole time and it's better than ever! Thank you again for showing folks that cucumbers aren't just for salads.
DeleteLike a spice cake, I think this one does improve with age, half the fun is having people guess the secret ingredient. When I brought a slice to my neighbor who gave me the cukes, she couldn't believe it. Thanks again, Liddy
ReplyDeleteThis sounded so strange - but it was excellent!!!!
ReplyDeleteEspecially the frosting was awesome . . . .
Thank you and greetz from germany
Thank you for your feedback Outlaw, really glad you enjoyed the cake! Liddy
DeleteMy first reaction was to say that this cannot really be true. Cucumbers are generally too watery.But judging from the comments I think I will actually give this a try. Every other ingredient will lend itself to a delicious cake so I am thinking it should be a bit unusual but spectacular!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this recipe. I made it in the oven and it was perfect. It was very tasty and moist. J Resendez
ReplyDeleteThis is really good ! I’ve made it three times so far we had so many cucumbers !
ReplyDeleteGot tired of doing pickles !!! I drained most of the water out and baked it in a Bundt pan it came out great …I used unbleached
Organic flour and monk fruit sugar
Thanks for sharing this it’s delicious !!