zucchini cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

First things first: dessert. These cupcakes are adapted from a cake recipe in How to Be a Domestic Goddess, by Nigella Lawson. Which I highly recommend.

Zucchini may sound odd, but it will remind you of carrot cake. And it's a good way to use all that zucchini in your weekly CSA delivery. Which I also highly recommend.

But let's be honest: these cupcakes are just an excuse for cream cheese frosting. Because it is not lady-like to eat cream cheese frosting straight out of the bowl by the spoonful (which hasn't stopped me before). Generally, eating frosting atop a cupcake is much more acceptable.

Happy baking. Let me know how it goes.

What you'll need:

1 lb zucchini (about 3)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup lime curd
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 lime (for zest)

Here's how:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

No need to peel the zucchini. Just grate them, and if you have a food processor, by all means: use it! Drain the grated zucchini in a colander while you mix up the rest of the ingredients.

Beat the eggs, oil and sugar until creamy. Stir in the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Beat everything until combined. Stir in the drained zucchini. Pour batter into a muffin tin (makes about one dozen). Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until firm and golden brown on top. Let cool.

Now for the best part: the frosting.

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar at high speed until combined. Let chill for a little while in the fridge to firm up the cream cheese.

When the cupcakes have cooled, spread a layer of lime curd on each and top off with a *generous* swirl of cream cheese frosting. Lick the spoon. Sprinkle with lime zest.

And enjoy.