Green Cake or Moss Cake for St Patrick's Day (Made with Spinach)

Course Desserts

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings slices

Calories 522

Author adapted by Christina Conte

A naturally green cake that is perfect for a St Patrick's Day treat!

Equipment

2 8" cake pans

Ingredients

Cake:

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

Frosting:

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃).
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 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.

Notes

You can also use the orange frosting recipe below
You can make half the frosting and only ice the middle of the cake if you want a less sweet result.

Nutrition

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