Whole Wheat Arugula + Spinach Cake :: Bolo “Shrek” de Agrião e Espinafre

Spring has bloomed! And yet with all that’s been happening around the world, many of us missed it or didn’t celebrate it like we always do when the flowering trees once again brighten our days. At the first sight of tree’s flowering buds, I’m outside as much as the weather and time permits, taking walks and experiencing Mother Nature’s ever-changing beauty once Spring arrives. The weather last Thursday was nearly perfect, not a cloud in the sky, the sun’s intense warmth was like a summer’s day, and so a quick walk was in order. I was met with the Magnolia trees in full bloom, in their grand stunning form and the Cherry Blossoms all pretty and dainty; some just starting to bloom into their loveliness, while others already in full display, giving us a sign of hope and calm the only way Nature knows how. With all that has been going on, the need to stay home — I missed capturing the emergence of all this beauty! 

But that’s okay! Like Mother Nature after a harsh, dark and cold winter, she always comes back with beauty and that is the reminder we should all hold on to! These uncertain global times will get better, there will be brighter days, because you can only rise up after the lowest moments. For the most part it’s amazing to see how physically distant, we have all come together, to support one another, to encourage those putting themselves on the frontlines, to simply spread as much positivity and light as we possibly can. Even if we’re staying home, being there for someone and being as positive as a we can, is the best we can do!

You have been cooking, and baking, and creating and making, and relaxing and finding balance — you’ve been appreciating the little things in life, the beautiful things in Nature you never truly stopped to admire. These are all the things that help one another and keep us sane! So keep it doing it all and keep sharing it with as many people as you can, and I’m going to do the same with you…

Let’s take a little break and talk Spring recipes, especially about this perplexing funny-named cake! The title of this post may have thrown you off immediately; “Shrek”, arugula and spinach, and then you go add in whole wheat?! You may be wondering what is going on here, well in the simplest of words, yes, it’s a whole wheat cake made green because of its main ingredients; arugula and spinach!! 

Yes, my friends some Portuguese baker decided to bake a cake with arugula and name it after the most famous animated Ogre, SHREK! My aunt in Lisbon has been making this cake for a long time, and introduced it to me a few years back, knowing not only the color would intrigue me, but more it’s secret ingredient. Arugula!

After looking up the cake’s name for a bit of history on its origin, her spelling of “Xerek” was actually spelled wrong and its true name was “Shrek”. Not much of a traditional story, just a green cake created to celebrate Spring and use up the garden’s harvest.

In a way this cake is a true representation of how we Portuguese, and many Europeans and others around the world, view food! Everything we grow has a purpose far beyond creating a single meal. Vegetables, fruits, herbs — they all serve to sustain us in many forms. I learned and saw first-hand from my family of farmers, that every part, of everything we grow must be able to sustain all parts of our lives — potatoes for soups but also scraps for the livestock, fresh string beans for soup and then the dried beans for winter month’s stews, and fresh tomatoes for salads and cooked ones for pastes and sauces. 

And no ingredient is ever limited to just savory or sweet, everything, and I mean everything grown from the ground can be creatively used up! Hence, the use of Arugula in this early Spring Cake! 

Don’t even think about adding food coloring {you crazy}!! The natural light green color is simply the prettiest thing ever. 

And don’t get discouraged by the fact that this cake is baked with both arugula and spinach, greens you might not go anywhere near. I promise you {maybe not promise because you might have some superhuman tastebuds}, you don’t actually taste the same flavors in the cake as you would in, say a salad. 

This cake is sweet, but not the sugary kind of sweet. The earthy kind of sweetness, the kind of sweetness Spinach does so well once cooked or baked. Some find spinach to be a nice light, even flavorless, leafy green, others think it tastes bitter and like dirt. I’m with the folk that find Spinach to be a sweet lovely fresh green, making it perfect to blend with the undeniably bitter tasting Arugula. Arugula can be overpowering for certain people, but NOT in this cake!! In this cake, it’s the star in the best way possible! 

Florally sweet. That is the simplest of ways that I can describe its flavor. At first bite, it might seem like a dainty flavored cake, but with each new bite you begin tasting its dense undertones. Even to this day, I still can’t come up with the right words to describe it. 

If you’re thinking “that is not what I want cake to taste like,” just give it a try, it might change your mind! 

It’s fluffy, moist and crumbly — everything cake should be! Especially one that frosting will never, EVER, get near and ruin its natural deliciousness! BUT I guess if you insist on some sort of sugary coating {although I really hope you try it out first au natural}, you can get creative by adding your final sweet touch, like a drizzle of rich chocolate ganache or maybe even a white chocolate glaze.

If you have children who love to bake or might be picky vegetable eaters, this is a great cake to bake up! I fully believe that when children get involved with cooking or baking, when they see all the ingredients involved and learn the process of doing it from scratch, gaining the patience to see and taste the final result — they appreciate food so much more! I saw that first hand as a kids’ cooking teacher, kids want to help and get involved. The more they know and understand about what they’re cooking/baking, that feeling of having control when creating the food they eat, it will do wonders to expand their culinary palette!! 

With so many home with their children, filling the day with things to do while also maintain somewhat of a normal daily life without leaving the house can be a challenge! 

And this cake could be a great project and meal you all can work together on! 

When this is all over, when the gardens and farmer’s markets begin brimming with fresh bundles of Spinach and Arugula again, you’ll be able to smile and say “hey, I see all you lovely fresh greens, what should we make today, a salad, a stir-fry…..NO, we’re making an Arugula Spinach Cake!!”