Name: Green Cake or Moss Cake for St Patrick's Day (Made with Spinach)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 10 cups fresh spinach (blanched (or about 9 cups/275 g of frozen spinach, defrosted)); 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice; 3 eggs; 1 cup sugar; ¾ tsp salt; ⅞ cup olive oil ((just under a cup, not extra virgin)); 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 Tbsp lemon zest (or zest of one lemon); 1 ⅓ cup cream cheese ((or mascarpone, or combination)); ⅓ cup butter ((+1 Tbsp if using cups) ); 2 cups confectioner's sugar; 1 tsp vanilla

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Green cake, or moss cake, is an all natural and delicious way to add some green to your day (and diet)! Perfect for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, and even works as cupcakes!

One thing I don’t understand is the allure of bright, artificially colored food.

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This naturally green cake (or moss cake) is the antithesis of a bright blue, frosted doughnut coated in Lucky Charms, topped with half a cup of multi-colored sprinkles. When I something like this, I raise an eyebrow. I am not enticed in the slightest, and I’m sure there are many of you who agree with me, right?

So when I spotted this moss cake somewhere on the internet, and discovered that it was a creation that is served at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, I was very intrigued. This green cake contains no fake or artificial ingredients. Instead, a healthy dose of spinach lends the green to this “green cake”.

As you may have guessed, the green cake is filled and topped with a cream cheese frosting. The original recipe was much too “cheesy” for a cake (imho), so I took the liberty of adapting it. You may remember my orange cream cheese frosting recipe, which I thought would be delightful on this green cake, and I was right. It’s just a lovely combination!

slice of pumpkin carrot cake with Best orange cream cheese frosting — Pumpkin carrot cake with orange cream cheese frosting.

Of course you can make it plain as the original recipe, but according to my friend, Jill from Mad About Macarons, she had spinach with orange at a three star Michelin restaurant in Paris for her birthday once, and said it was fantastic. This is before she even knew I was pairing my orange frosting on this spinach cake!

You can leave the cake alone after spreading on the frosting, or decorate with fresh or freeze dried raspberries, as I’ve done.

Need an idea for an Irish main dish to serve before this cake? Try bangers and mash!

I also added a few violets for a touch of spring.

Another brilliant use of spinach: spinach soup!

Is this cake a bright green color? No, but that’s the allure to me. It’s real, honest and natural; the same qualities I have in my friends. What do you prefer?

All Natural Green Cake or Moss Cake

adapted from Chef Phil Skinazi (Gleneagles Pastry Chef) serves 12

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

lemon juice
eggs
sugar
salt
olive oil
flour
baking powder
lemon

Frosting

cream cheese
butter
confectioner’s sugar
vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)

Grease and flour two 8″ cake pans.

Purée the spinach with the lemon juice, and set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar and salt in a stand mixer (or with a hand held mixer) until it increases in volume, turns a pale yellow, and makes ribbons in the batter when the beaters are lifted.

While beating the mixture, slowly pour in the oil.

Sift the flour and baking powder, and with a large spoon, fold it into the batter in thirds, clearing after each addition.

When all the flour has been added, the spinach cake batter will be smooth, thick and heavy.

Add the spinach purée.

Then add the lemon zest and mix until well combined.

Divide the green cake batter between the two prepared 8″ cake pans.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Allow to cool in pans for about 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully remove and place on cooling racks.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting.

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. You can choose the plain frosting, or the orange cream cheese frosting.

When the cakes are cool, divide the frosting, and spread one layer with half .

I just pull the knife from the centerpoint to the edge to make a nice pattern to show from the outside.

Slice off the top of the other layer, if needed, and place it atop the frosted layer. Spread the rest of the frosting on top, then decorate with fresh, or freeze dried raspberries, and/or flowers.

The green cake is ready!

Refrigerate for easier slicing, but it’s not necessary as you can serve it right away. Keep any leftover moss cake in the fridge, or freezer.

Let me know what you think of this all natural green cake (aka spinach cake).