This is one heck of a cake on so many levels. For starters, nobody is ever going to guess there's zucchini in here, because it virtually disappears in the baking-there's not even a hint of vegetable flavor...
An oil-and-vinegar dressing keeps this slaw from feeling heavy and greasy, and the spiciness is a good counterpart to sweet notes in barbecue sauces and glazes.
In this recipe, beets are cooked in two separate batches: One batch is used to make "beet water," a kind of rich beet stock, and the other is cooked and grated.