Carrot Zucchini Bars with Mango Ricotta Cream

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a brownie pan (8×8 inch) with parchment paper (if you will allow two ends of the paper to hang over the sides of the pan, you can use them as a handle to remove the cake from the pan when done) and set it aside.

In a large bowl beat together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, applesauce and honey. Fold in grated carrot and zucchini. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until just combined, don’t over-mix.

Pour batter into your brownie pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven, let it cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes, then take it out of the baking pan (using the parchment paper handles) and place on a cooling rack. Let it cool completely. Then cut it horizontally and lengthwise in half.

Put the cream into a mixing bowl. Beat the heavy cream on medium speed for 30 seconds then add cornstarch and powdered sugar and beat until super stiff.

In a medium bowl beat the ricotta with the Jello powder until well combined. Add whipped heavy cream and beat until combined.

Spread half of the mango cream on the top of one layer of cake and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans on the cream, then place second cake layer on top. Spread remaining cream on top and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Place in fridge for an hour before serving.