harvest cake

My birthday was last month, and as is my tradition, I insisted on baking my cake myself.

With cakes, I tend towards classics like chocolate-on-chocolate–or in the best instances, I get stuck on an offbeat option that seems to fit just right.

For this year’s birthday, it was Sara Kate’s Harvest Cake, which I bookmarked sometime last year. It has loads of vegetables quietly tucked inside–carrots, beets and zucchinis. All disguised under a cloak of cream cheese frosting (next time, I’ll try the goat cheese version!). For extra flavor and less refined ingredients, the recipe uses maple syrup in place of sugar. There are all kinds of healthy, hippy benefits here. Oh yes, and it’s delicious.

photo by sara kate

It was a hit with the family, veggies and all! And there was just enough leftover for a slice with coffee the next morning–that’s my ideal cake.

Want to try it? Find the recipe at thekitchn.com. Let me know how it goes!