I make a lot of cakes for birthdays and I have an amazing chocolate cake recipe that I usually use, mostly because it is firm enough to stack and create fun cakes with, but sometimes I get tired of chocolate cake for everything. I have not found a white cake that is anything but blaaaa, so I have been on the hunt for another kind of cake that is firm but still delicious in a different flavor than chocolate. I think I found it! This cake is amazing! Flavor and texture and healthiness. OK I am not sure on exactly how healthy this cake is but it makes me feel better eating it with all the vegetables and fruit in it. I used this for a baby shower cake that I stacked and decorated and it turned out great! I did a test run BEFORE the shower and had a few people tell me if they liked it or not. So I took their thoughts and applied them to my cakes and it worked.  My husband was even bummed that he was not invited to the baby shower. It tasted great and so this cake recipe is going into my recipe book of Favorites.

Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (I used White Flour)
• 1-¼ cup Granulated Sugar
• ½ cups Sweetened, Flaked Coconut
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoons Freshly Grated Nutmeg, Or More To To Taste (optional)
• 1 pinch Ginger (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 cups Grated (unpeeled) Zucchini (Or you can use shredded Carrots instead or you can use 1 cup zucchini and 1 cup carrots)
• 1 can (20 Oz. Size) Crushed Pineapple In Juice, Drained (Reserve Juice In Case You Need It For The Cake Batter Or The Frosting)

 Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
 Combine flours, sugar, coconut, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
 Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated zucchini, and pineapple into the flour mixture. Batter will be stiff and dry but keep folding it and it will all come together. If it still seems too dry, just add a little splash of the pineapple juice.
 Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for about 33–35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and cake is pulling away from sides of pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes : If your zucchini are huge, scrape the seeds out of the center before you shred it so it’s not too watery. Also, I spread it all out on layers of paper towel to drain it and dry it off a bit. I squeezed most of the juice out of mine by hand. Then I measure out 2 cups.  Nuts can also be added to the cake batter if desired.

• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1 package (8 Oz. Size) Low-fat Cream Cheese, Softened (You Can Use Full-fat Cream Cheese)
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar, More Or Less As Needed
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Splash Of Milk Or Pineapple Juice, If Necessary
• Chopped Walnuts Or Pecans (optional)

 To prepare frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla just until smooth. Add a splash of milk or pineapple juice if necessary. Spread frosting over top of cake. You can garnish with chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired. This recipe makes a very generous amount of frosting.