Zucchini and Cream Cheese Bundt Cake, and A Special Giveaway...

Today was the one year birthday of Foodness Gracious. I know it's a cliche but I really can't believe it's been a year and I can't believe I've stuck at this crazy blogging game which has evolved into an acute time consuming hobby. I wouldn't change it for anything though. I have become more knowledgeable about food after reading other bloggers pages and the friends and contacts I have made is flabbergasting. Blogging has led me into another enjoyable pastime, photography. I know I have a long way to go to continually get the perfect shot but after looking at my photographs from last year, I know I've came a long way too. I appreciate every ones comments and thank you all for taking the time to visit my site!


If you've been reading along these past few weeks, as you should have been! you'll have noticed a number of recipe posts from Joy Wilson's new seductively sweet cook book. I can use the word "seductively" easily because once you read the recipes you'll enter a world of butter, sugar and vanilla. Family, friends, co-workers, construction guys and mail persons (?) will wonder where these scrumptious treats are coming from. That's right you'll want to share the fruits of your labor with others, it's just that good.

To help me celebrate my blogiversary, blogthday or whatever it's called I made Joy's Zucchini Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting. An awesome cake with veggies in it, much to the astonishment of my daughter.

Three things you should do on Monday,

Buy the book

Choose a recipe

Share it

Or you could just enter my giveaway and win your very own Joy The Baker book which has been personally signed, yup I went to one of Joy's book signings today and met the buttery empress in person. Jealous, much?
Rules are:

Leave a comment below telling me who you would share your baked goods with. For further chances to win follow me on,

Twitter @foodnessG

Facebook

Add me to your Google+ Circle

Leave a comment for each follow. The giveaway will end at 10pm PST on March 7th. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your lucky enough to win. The winner will be chosen at random via Random.Org.

Recipe for my Zucchini Cream Cheese birthday cake from Joy The Baker:

3 Cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
8 ozs softened cream cheese
2 cups of sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 sticks melted butter, cooled
2 cups shredded zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan. In a separate bowl whisk together, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended, 2 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time beating for 1 minute between each addition. Add vanilla. With the mixer on low add the melted butter and beat on medium for about 3 minutes until smooth.
With mixer on low, add the bowl of flour mixture all at once and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and mix for another 20 seconds. Take off the bowl and add the zucchini, mix by spatula until combined. Spoon batter into prepared cale pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until spongy on top or a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool. When completely cool cover in this frosting...

Brown Sugar Frosting:

8 ozs softened cream cheese
1 stick softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup of brown sugar,packed
1 tsp molasses
Pinch of salt
1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the butter and beat until well combined. Scrape the sides down and beat again for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and molasses and mix for 30 seconds. Add the salt and powdered sugar on low followed by the vanilla.
Beat well for about 1 minute and then scrape sides of bowl down. Beat again until all powdered sugar is gone and the frosting is velvety smooth. If not using immediately store in an airtight container in the fridge and bring back to room temp before using. Frosting will last for 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge.