Wednesday, August 17, 2011

More Adventures with Zucchini

Okay, I tried a Zucchini Banana Bread recipe from Cooks.com and it was just that. OKAY. Not great. It made a huge loaf, and that is always nice. But the banana was very hard to detect. I want a wow factor.

While the bread was baking I got out my late grandmother's recipe box and looked through her desserts section. Wouldn't you know she had a Zucchini Cake recipe in there, and I had all the ingredients out? Is that fate or what? And seeing Gramma's handwriting made me all sentimental. I had to make it.

The following was made in a bundt pan. Picture borrowed from the web (lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com to be exact.) You know. My camera sucks.

Zucchini Cake

3 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract - don't fake it, use real vanilla extract!
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini, unpeeled, loosely packed
1/2 cups finely chopped nuts (I used pecans)
optional 1/2 cup raisins (I used 1 1/2 cups Nestle Chocolate Chunks cause what is life without chocolate?)

In your large mixing bowl, blend the eggs for 30 seconds on low speed then add the oil, baking powder, soda, spices, vanilla and sugar on medium speed. Beat for 1 minute. Mixture should be smooth. Keep scraping the sides of the bowl while you do the mixing part.

Now mix in the flour using a wooden spoon, alternately adding the zucchini. When this is well blended, stir in the nuts, raisins, chocolate etc.

Pour this yummy batter into a greased and floured bundt pan (or other cake pan) and bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, loosen the edges with a knife, then invert onto a plate.

Some choose to sprinkle powdered sugar on the cooled cake, or a thin chocolate icing drizzled down the sides.

If you make this, and especially if you have some healthier conversions (like applesauce as an alternative to how much oil?) let me know! I'd also like to hear if you made the cake and your thoughts!

No comments: