Print Options

Back to Garden Patch Cake >

Include these items:

Select reviews >

Taste of Home Logo

Garden Patch Cake

Garden Patch Cake
This moist cake combines shredded zucchini, carrots and beets with chocolate chips for a deliciously different dessert. It's a sweet reward for the time you spent weeding and watering your garden. -Kimberly Speta, Kennedy, New York
12-16 ServingsPrep: 1 hour + drying Bake: 35 min. + cooling

Ingredients

  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrots
  • 1 cup finely shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded beets
  • 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • FROSTING:
  • 2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • GARDEN PATCH CAKE DECORATING:
  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 to 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
© Taste of Home 2013

2 of 3

Garden Patch Cake (continued)

Ingredients (continued)

  • 7 wooden craft or Popsicle sticks (4-1/2 inches)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking cocoa
  • Red, yellow, orange and green liquid or paste food coloring
  • Pastry tips - #5 and #10 round, #67 leaf and #20 star
  • 5 pastry bags or small heavy-duty resealable plastic bags

Directions

  • In a large bowl, beat oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Combine flour,
  • baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well.
  • Stir in vegetables. Add chips and mix well. Pour into a greased and
  • floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40
  • minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out
  • clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack to cool
  • completely.
  • For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and
  • fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread
  • over cake. Store in refrigerator.
  • Editor's Note: See below for decorating frosting recipe and
  • directions.
  • GARDEN PATCH CAKE DECORATING:
  • In a bowl, cream shortening, extracts and salt. Gradually beat in
  • sugar alternately with milk until smooth and stiff. Cover with a wet
  • paper towel and plastic wrap until ready to use.
  • TO MAKE TRELLIS:
  • Lay 5 craft or Popsicle sticks on a sheet of waxed paper with 1/4 in
  • between bottom of sticks (ends that are inserted into cake) and 1/2
  • in. between tops. Spread back side of remaining sticks with
  • frosting; position across the 5 sticks 1 in. and 2 in. down from the
  • top. Allow to dry, about 1 hour. Press bottom of sticks into upper
  • left corner of cake.
  • TO MAKE GARDEN PATCH:
  • Using a toothpick, mark a 5-1/2-in. x 3-1/2-in. patch in lower right
  • corner. Lightly sprinkle with cocoa and gently press into cake.
  • TO MAKE VEGETABLES AND BORDER:
  • Cut a small hole in corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #10
  • round tip. Combine 1/4 cup frosting and red food coloring; fill bag.
  • Holding bag straight up and down, form 8-10 tomatoes in front of the
  • trellis. Prepare another bag, inserting #5 round tip. Combine 1/2
© Taste of Home 2013

3 of 3

Garden Patch Cake (continued)

Directions (continued)

  • cup frosting and yellow food coloring; fill bag. Using the same
  • procedure, form rows of small dots to create kernel of 8-10 ears of
  • corn in upper right corner. Wash #10 tip and insert into a third
  • bag. Combine 1/2 cup frosting and orange food coloring; fill bag.
  • Using the same procedure, form 3 rows of 4 carrots on the garden
  • patch. Add green food coloring to remaining frosting. Prepare a
  • fourth bag, inserting leaf tip; fill with some of the frosting. Form
  • husks on edges of ears of corn; add stems and leaves to tomatoes and
  • carrots. Add vines to trellis. Prepare a fifth bag, inserting the
  • star tip; fill with remaining green frosting. Form a border around
  • base and upper edge of cake. Yield: 12-16 servings.
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 720 calories, 36 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 61 mg cholesterol, 191 mg sodium, 99 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2013