This week’s selection from Dolce Italiano was Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze. I grew up eating lots of zucchini bread, and I wondered if the recipe would be similar. I thought it was very similar in taste, although the glaze makes it extra-special. The recipe starts with sifting together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In another bowl, eggs, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla are beaten together. The dry ingredients are then added to the egg mixture.
After the dry ingredients are just incorporated, toasted chopped pecans and grated zucchini are mixed in.

The batter is then spread into a greased and floured bundt pan and baked until golden, 45-50 minutes. While baking, the lemon glaze is made. Lemon juice and granulated sugar are whisked until smooth, then powdered sugar is mixed in. When the cake is done, it’s cooled in the pan 10 minutes, then turned out onto a cooling rack. The lemon glaze is brushed onto the cake, and as the cake cools, the glaze hardens.
I found this cake extremely easy to make and very moist. I’m still eating it 3 days later, and I think it is even more moist than when first baked, and the flavors are more melded together. I cannot taste the flavor of the olive oil with the heavier spice taste, and I think you could easily substitue vegeatable oil if you didn’t have olive oil on hand.