Fresh zucchini is one of summer’s most abundant ingredients, and this Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake is one of the most delicious ways to put it to good use. If you’ve been searching for the best way to bake zucchini, this recipe transforms fresh garden zucchini into an incredibly moist, tender cake bursting with bright lemon flavor, warm cinnamon, and a sweet citrus glaze. It’s a simple dessert that celebrates the season while making the most of every zucchini harvest, whether it comes from your own garden, the farmers market, or your favorite local farm.
The Best Way to Bake Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake
This Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake proves that baking with zucchini is about much more than adding vegetables to dessert. Freshly grated zucchini melts into the batter as it bakes, creating an exceptionally soft crumb without making the cake taste like vegetables. If you’re looking for the best way to bake zucchini, this recipe is one you’ll come back to year after year.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups grated zucchini (use the large holes of a box grater), from about 2 medium zucchini
- 2 cups powdered sugar
The Best Way to Grate Zucchini
The best way to grate zucchini for this Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake is to use the large holes of a standard box grater. Larger shreds blend evenly into the batter, adding moisture without disappearing completely or becoming watery. There’s no need to peel the zucchini, as the skin softens during baking and adds tiny flecks of color throughout the finished cake. Unless your zucchini is especially large or seedy, there’s also no need to squeeze out the moisture; it’s what gives this cake its famously tender texture.
Preparation
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
- Zest the lemons into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. Add the butter and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each egg in completely before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the mixture is evenly mixed. Add the cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt and mix to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and mix on low until evenly combined. The batter will be thick. Use a flexible spatula to fold in the zucchini. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles and to help it settle in the pan.
- Bake the cake until puffed and golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 55 to 65 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack or serving plate to glaze and finish cooling.
- While the cake cools, make the glaze: Juice one of the lemons. (You should have about ¼ cup.) Add the powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and about three-quarters of the lemon juice to a bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more lemon juice as necessary to make a thin but opaque glaze.
- Immediately brush a thin layer of glaze over the warm cake, and let the glaze set until the cake has cooled to almost room temperature. When the cake is mostly cool, brush the remaining glaze over the top. Let cool completely, then slice and serve. (Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4 days; the glaze may get a bit sticky as it sits.)
Ways to Serve Lemon Zucchini Bundt Cake
The bright lemon flavor and tender crumb make this cake easy to pair with simple summer favorites.
- A cup of locally roasted coffee or hot tea
- Fresh Michigan berries
- A dollop of freshly whipped cream
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
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Recipe adapted from the: The New York Times
Photo by Zehra Yılmaz
