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Zucchini Pineapple Ginger Cup Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

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I made this cup cake yesterday. For a long time I was debating whether to make a cupcake with zucchini. Finally I did it. Zucchini is happy go lucky vegetable, and is ready to mingle with everything, whether it is savory or dessert. However, I am not fully convinced of its ability in the dessert. I want to add Muscovado sugar  for my cupcake, after reading a dessert book. However, buying this sugar turned out to be two day project. When we went to Wal-Mart I saw Turbinado sugar, thinking that this is Muscovado sugar we bought them. Then I realize after researching with Google friend, That both Muscovado sugar and Turbinado sugar is different, the first one is used in tea and coffee, however for baking you need Muscovado sugar, and finally I got it from a specialty store at 1lb for $3. It is expensive, so experiment should to limited to cupcakes and muffins. I was convinced with result, Muscovado sugar imparts golden brown color and taste awesome. 

Then comes searching for right recipe, I have seen zucchini chocolate cakes. However I am not chocolate cake die hard fan, I am fine if I have them or not. So I decided to skip the chocolate part. This recipe is minimally adapted from zucchini cupcakes form here. I had some chopped pineapple pieces in the refrigerator which I incorporated. Then I added some freshly grated ginger, orange zest, orange juice, pineapple juice, almond extract, crushed cardamom, ground cloves and ground cinnamon. Trust me this is a one of the highly aromatic best cup cake I have tasted, my little one started eating them before I even frosted the cupcakes. 

Furthermore I have seen an e-mail in my inbox challenging about making cupcake using squash from Key ingredient. If I win I will get a Demy. Normally I won’t win any contest. My hubby told me doesn’t worry about contest, if you bake a nice cupcake that is fine. If we can enjoy them then you have won (there have been times when we have dumped the entire dish, as it tasted awful). I am really happy that this turned out to be the best cupcake that is easy to put together. 

One year ago: Cabbage thoran

Print recipe from here

What you need. 

 Unbleached All purpose flour: 1 ⅓ cup
Grated Zucchini: 1 ¼ cup
Pineapple: ½ cup (chopped finely, I used fresh one)
Muscovado sugar: ¾ cup ( I used Belington Natural Muscovado sugar)
Eggs: 2 no (Bring to room temperature before mixing)
Grated ginger: 1 teaspoon
Grated orange zest: 1 teaspoon
Orange juice: ½ cup
Pineapple juice: 1 tablespoon
Baking powder: 1 teaspoon

Baking soda: ½ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
Ground cloves: ¼ teaspoon
Crushed cardamom: 3 no
Almond extract: ¼ teaspoon
Salt: ½ teaspoon

For frosting

Unsalted butter: ½ stick
Cream cheese: 4 oz
Powdered sugar: 1 cup
Maple syrup: 3 tablespoon
Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Heavy cream: ¼ cup (optional, skip this if you want thick frosting)
Coconut: ¼ cup (I used shredded)
Food coloring: 3 drops yellow and 2 drops of red

How I made

Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the muffin tin with muffin cups or cup cake liner and set aside. 
Grate the zucchini using a box grater and chop the pineapple into small pieces and set aside.
Zest the orange and extract the juice from them and set aside. Grate ginger using a micro plane or a zester and set aside. 
In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and salt and set aside. 
In a bowl mix oil and sugar and beat them until everything gets incorporated well. To this add orange juice, pineapple juice, almond extract and mix again for 30 seconds, to this gradually add one egg at time and combine everything well during each addition. 
To this add dry ingredients as two addition, mix well during every addition. 
Finally fold in grated zucchini and chopped pineapples gently in to the batter and set aside.
Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 20minutes or until skewer comes out clean. 
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and remove it and cool in the wire rack for another 1 hour.
To make frosting, bring butter and cream cheese into room temperature and beat well with powdered sugar and maple syrup, heavy cream and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add food coloring if using at this time. Gently fold in desiccated coconut and mix everything.

Once the cake is completely cooled spread the frosting over the cake and decorate with shredded coconut.

Enjoy!

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Serving: 14 no
Verdict: Yummy. Keeper recipe
Will you make it again: I will

 This is  also going to   Culinary smack down battle Zucchini hosted by Ananda of  a pinch of love
Swathi

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  2. Deeba PAB says

    What a great idea to skip the chocolate. I love the twist you gave these cupcakes, and I do hope you win the Demy! In any case, I agree with your hub, it's the spirit behind the cupcakes! They are winners in themselves! Thank you for bringing to the Mingle.

    Reply

  3. swapna says

    Delicious cupcakes....love it!!

    Reply

  4. Shanavi says

    yummy...Sure it's a delight..

    Reply

  5. Dimah says

    Wonderful cupcakes! looks so yummy!

    Reply

  6. Pari says

    Hi dear, The cupcakes look beautiful with that tempting frosting.
    FOODELICIOUS

    Reply

  7. Joanne says

    I looovee zucchini cupcakes and especially with this luscious frosting on top!

    Reply

  8. Soumya says

    adipoli cupcake...very healthy and delicious

    Reply

  9. Madhavi says

    Thanks dear for stopping by @ my place :)) M in love with your blog, super recipes collections. And this cup cakes looks divine!!

    Reply

  10. SpicyTasty says

    nice presentation!!looks delicious..

    Reply

  11. Yummy Team says

    Interesting recipe! Cupcakes look fabulous! Yum Yum..

    Reply

  12. Pavithra says

    I love zucchini cakes and breads. And this is gorgeous..

    Reply

  14. Susan: My Food Obsession says

    I bakes a Zucchini cake on the weekend and was quite surprised.... this might have to be my next Zucchini baking caper!

    Reply

  15. Peggy says

    These look great! The combination of ingredients is so unique! I bet these were really tasty!

    Reply

  16. Sushma Mallya says

    looks beautiful...

    Reply

  17. rekhas kitchen says

    interesting combination and looks so tempting...

    Reply

  18. Roshan says

    i love the combination of squash, fruit, spice and the flavoring....the cupcakes look exotic with those frosting.....!!

    Reply

  19. Rumana Rawat says

    superb n perfect:)

    Reply

  20. Curry Leaf says

    Scrumptious Swati. I have never tried the pineapple- ginger combo.Love the frosting as well.I will be too lazy for that

    Reply

  21. Harini says

    yummy and awesome presentation..love the coconut flake topping!

    Reply

  22. alison says

    yummy cupcakes!

    Reply

  23. Reeni says

    What gorgeous and delicious cupcakes Swathi! I love the flavors you incorporated. These are winners, for sure!

    Reply

  24. aipi says

    Whoo..they sound so delicious..am totally in love with your maple cream cheese frosting 🙂

    US Masala

    Reply

  25. Home Cooked Oriya Food says

    Amazing cupcakes... Looks wonderful...

    Reply

  26. Ellie (Almost Bourdain) says

    Very unusual but absolutely stunning cupcakes!

    Reply

  27. Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal says

    Wow, it looks mouthwateringly delicious.

    Reply

  28. Priya says

    Fabulous frosting..scrumptious cupcakes, feel like having some..

    Reply

  29. Faith says

    What delicious cupcakes, I bet they're so moist with the zucchini! Love the pretty coconut on top!

    Reply

  30. Pushpa says

    Delicious cupcakes Swathi,love the topping and the combination.

    Reply

  31. Torviewtoronto says

    beautiful and healthy cupcakes

    Reply

  33. saritha says

    hi swathi i am new to blogging,but i follow you regularly. i like your presentation style. always you come up with variety recipes.

    Reply

  34. srividhya Ravikumar says

    delicious cup cakes dear...love it..

    Reply

  35. Kurinji says

    looks yumm... nice step by step instructions.

    Reply

  36. G.Pavani says

    lovely n yummy n tempting cakes...

    Reply

  37. RV @ Food for 7 Stages says

    I am loving the topping and so the cupcakes.

    Reply

  38. sinfullyspicy says

    What a yummy way to use zucchini in cupcakes.They look so good!

    Reply

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