“All the world’s a birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.” - George Harrison
Yeah, I know that there are some of you out there who may see the word “zucchini” next to “cake” and think why do that, but you would be wrong to think that. This cake is delicious and is another recipe that my grandmother perfected herself. Around this time of year, if you have some of your squashes coming in from the garden, this dessert is perfect to make to use up some of the zucchini.
My grandmother would use layer two cakes together when she made this cake, but I like to make a bundt cake with this recipe. I like the bundt cake and its design not only for its looks but also because it sections off where people cut into the cake, ensuring everyone gets an equal piece.
The tricky part of the bundt pan is getting the cake to come out smoothly. I had some struggle with this bake getting the cake out in one piece even though I had prepared the pan before putting the batter in. I would say that the most important piece of advice that I would give for those trying to use bundt pans is to take your time greasing the pan, getting in all the crevices. It’s important to get as much definition as possible, and not to lose half your cake due to it being stuck in the pan.
If you do choose to use two 9 in pans, I would suggest putting some of the glaze between the cake as well as the top. It would be a good idea to double the glaze recipe down below to be sure there is enough glaze to cover the middle and to put over the top of the cake.
Another tip to use is freezing your blended zucchini. Freezing the grated zucchini doesn’t compromise the taste and will allow one step to be out of the way before you start baking the cake.
Moist, sweet, and topped with a spicy-citrus glaze, this cake is an excellent dessert that can be enjoyed in the fall season. Enjoy! (courtesy of my grandmother, the original Keep baker).
Recipe: Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup of melted butter
2 ½ cups of sugar
2 cups raw zucchini grated, or blended with a blender
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
3 cups of flour
Steps
Peel and grate zucchini or blend with a blender. You can do this ahead of time and freeze zucchini, make sure to let it thaw the night before.
Combine eggs, butter, and sugar
Add zucchini.
In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine flour mixture in butter mixture.
Grease two 8” round cake pans, fill each pan ⅔ full with batter or use a bundt pan
Heat oven to 350 degrees, bake for 50-55 minutes.
Recipe: Lemon Spice Drizzle
Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon of milk
1 ½ Tablespoon of lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon extract (optional for extra lemon flavor)
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
Steps
Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon extract, and milk. Should be a runny consistency, add milk or powdered sugar for the desired effect.
Stir in spices.
Pour over cooled cake.
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Next bake: Chai Chi Bean Tart