Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake

Last week, I made Monique from @AmbitiousKitchen's Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake recipe and it was soooo good - like I freaked out when I ate it. Almond flour is one of the key ingredients but I found a way around that since I can't eat nuts. I was actually super skeptical about using an almond flour alternative since it distinctly says in her recipe a few times that she doesn't recommend a sub. I ended up used Pamela's Products GF/V Flour instead of the almond flour! Upon completing the batter, I realized it was super dry, almost like cookie dough instead of cake batter - so I added in a few splashes of oat milk and prayed that would do the trick. It did!

What I'm sharing below is a recipe totally adapted from Monique - I don't claim it as my own. I just changed a few things around and adjusted it to accommodate my nut allergy. Sooo many of you were excited about it that I decided to share for my fellow nut allergy fam.

So basically, this is the best healthy-ish cake I've ever eaten. There's 1/2 cup honey instead of sugar, no dairy and no gluten. Say whhaaaatttt. The frosting is optional but I think the sweetness from it is what makes it taste more like a cake than a sweet bread.

What you need:
For the cake

• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oat milk
• 1 1/2 cup Pamelas Gluten Free Flour
• 3/4 cup gluten free oat flour (I blend Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Gluten Free Oats in my food processor to make my own oat flour.)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

For the optional frosting

• 1/2 cup melted vegan butter, room temp (shouldn't be hot)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Shred the zucchini and squeeze out or soak up the excess water/moisture with a cheesecloth or towel.
3. Combine the wet ingredients in a a bowl and mix.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine - don't over mix.
5. Brush a 9x9 pan with a little bit of coconut or neutral oil like grape seed oil or line with parchment paper to prevent sticking and pour the batter into it.
6. Fold in the blueberries. Since the batter is relatively thick, you'll really need to fold them in a push them down.
7. Bake for 30 minutes and test the center with a toothpick to see if it's firm before cooling. If it's not firm, bake at 5 minute increments while perform the toothpick test until done.
8. While the cake cools, make the frosting by using a whisk to combine the butter, sugar  and lemon juice.
9. Once the cake is completely cooled, transfer to a serving plate and top with frosting before serving!