Cottage Cheese Apple Zucchini Cake Recipe
This Cottage Cheese Apple Zucchini Cake is a moist, flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack. Packed with grated zucchini, blended cottage cheese, and topped with fresh diced apples, it offers a nutritious twist on classic cakes with lower sugar and refined flour. The use of almond flour makes it gluten-free, while cinnamon and maple syrup add natural sweetness and warmth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Total Time: 65-75 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (8-10 slices) 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup grated zucchini, all juices squeezed out
- 1 cup blended cottage cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups almond flour
Topping
- 1/2 large apple, diced
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Spices: In a large bowl, combine the grated zucchini (with all excess liquid squeezed out), the blended cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly until well blended.
- Add Almond Flour: Gradually add the almond flour to the wet mixture, folding it in gently to form a thick batter. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour Batter and Add Topping: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and use a spatula to level the surface. Evenly sprinkle the diced apple pieces on top of the batter.
- Bake the Cake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs. If not done, continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool inside the loaf pan. After cooling, slice and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the grated zucchini to avoid a soggy cake.
- If almond flour is unavailable, oat flour can be used, but it will increase the carbohydrate content.
- For different flavors, try substituting the diced apple topping with pear slices, peaches, or berries.
- You can replace maple syrup with honey or agave syrup for sweetness alternatives.
- Vanilla extract can be swapped with almond extract to add a different aroma.
- Keep the cake refrigerated if not consumed within a day, and it is best eaten within 2-3 days for freshness.
Keywords: cottage cheese cake, zucchini cake, gluten free cake, healthy cake, almond flour cake, apple topping, low sugar dessert
