Zucchini Pound Cake

We have a lot of zucchini.  And I was desperate to do something new with it!

So I decided on pound cake.

I have made approximately five pounds of pound cake in the last three days.

But it was of vital importance to me that the recipe I ultimately shared be perfect. 

Perfection.  Perfect-a-ding-a-ling-dong.  The perfecta-nator. 

And after tweaking numerous pound cake recipes I think I have finally created one that will accommodate a lot of zucchini.

And still taste delicious.

AND be made in a way I could easily share.

I got this fabulous pan from Chicago Metallic.

Its actually a brownie pan, but works perfectly for this pound cake!

I just adore the mini size of each little cake. 

The smaller size means that every single person got the experience the beautiful fine outer crumb of the pound cake, but still taste the sweet delicate interior as well.

Here is the thing.

I made a true pound cake.  I followed Alton Browns directions and tweaked it slightly to accommodate the zucchini.

It was really dense and didnt hold up to the extra moisture well at all.

(I am sure his original recipe is fabulous!)

Anyway, long story short, the recipe I ended up with is not a true pound cake, but it does produce the beautiful crumb and velvety interior of a pound cake.

Am I making any sense at all? 

It just occurred to me that I say that a lot.

Zucchini Pound Cake

1 cup AP Flour

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (room temp)

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs (room temp)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups peeled and grated zucchini

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt.  Sift together and set aside.

Grate approximately two medium sized zucchini, or enough to get two cups of drained, dry zucchini.

(the best way to do this is place peeled zucchini in a clean, dry dish towel and squeeze hard)

In mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy. (about five minutes) Put mixer on lowest speed and add eggs one at a time until each is fully incorporated.  Add vanilla. 

Add flour mixture, about a cup at a time, until just combined. 

Remove bowl from mixer and stir in zucchini by hand.  Try to make sure there are no clumps.

Place mixture in prepared baking dish.  If using a 10-inch tube pan, bake for 70-80 minutes. 

If using the brownie pan shown in this blog post, bake for 45-55 minutes, but begin checking at 40 minutes.  Around the 40 minute mark I placed a piece of aluminum foil over the pan to prevent further browning.

Allow pound cake(s) to cool completely before cutting.

Tips for success:

Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature, especially if you are using the tube pan.

Use well prepared pans.  Either use the traditional butter and flour method or use a good quality baking spray.

Make sure your zucchini is as dry as possible.

Do not substitute flours in this recipe.  

Share it with people you love. (optional, but good for the soul)

 

I really wanted to share these with some friends who are having a tough time, so I just grabbed some Christmas ribbon (the very cheap kind you get at Wal-mart for .99 after Christmas-it has a soft felt front and a plastic back) wrapped the cake once, then binded with a thin twine.

They stay good for 1-3 days, more if refrigerated.

You can also create a simple lemon glaze to pour over.  

If you want to include this in the care package, just put the glaze in a jar or ziplock bag.

Simple Lemon Glaze

1 cup powder sugar

1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tbsp water

Mix and serve. 

*****

If you want to print a recipe but do not want all the pictures, simply highlight the text that you want then choose the print option.  Choose "selection" and only the highlighted text will print.  

I am planning on upgrading to have a "print" button installed for you very soon!  Hope that will help. 

*****

I am giving away a $100 gift card to REI, click here to enter!

Comments

[Kristin R.]

Yum! I'm going to make this today. I've got TONS of zucchini sitting on the counter just waiting to be made into something!

[Deliciously Organic]

What a perfect way to use up zucchini! The photographs are gorgeous!

[Paula]

I love the individual mini-loaf pans and bake my banana breads in them frequently. Great for single sized servings but even better when, as you did, shared with friends. Great adaption to the original recipe Amanda.

[shelly (cookies and cups)]

I have some monster zucchinis sitting on my ledge right now!
Also..beautiful wrapping ;) ♥

[Sanjeeta kk]

Oh I love that mini cake pan! Those cute little bakes are just perfect for a picnic takeaway. Lovely clicks.

[At Anna's kitchen table]

I love the presentation and the pan is awesome!

[Christina]

Well it looks delish!

And you make since to me :)
xoxo

[Barefoot Pregnant and In The Kitchen]

I love those pans... I need to get one! I can thick of a 101 ways to use it! Love this recipe sounds fantastic, will have to try it with the overflow of zucchini!

[Shannon Marie]

We have lots of extra zucchini. I've been looking for 'new' recipes too! Thanks!

[Shamsa]

Wow! We have tons of zuchhini from our garden and I've made zucchini brownies, zucchini cookies, zucchini cakes and what not! And I love all ur stuff!

[Rachel @ Baked by Rachel]

I feel like I'm on the wrong site right now... it's not frosted or brightly colored. There's something wrong with this. :) Awesome use of the brownie pan. I always resist items like that but it's great to know it has another use!

[Gwendolyn]

My grandaugher swears that Zucchini was invented so she could have Zucchini Bread. (she is 13) Her FAV!! Now I am thinking she will have to change that statement to Zucchini Pound Cake! She is like all of us and enjoys a good glaze also. This will be a homerun I am sure. Thanks for all of your creative ideas and pursuit of wonderfulness in all things baked. :-)

[Amanda Rettke]

I was afraid of that!! I should have put this on my mommy blog. Oh well! Next time I will learn my lesson. :)

[Notyet100]

Will try this,advay gonna luv this

[Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes]

Hi! I found your blog from Darla's and I love it! This pound cake looks gorgeous and I especially love the glaze. Cheers!!

[Margee]

I love having my vegetables this way ;)
Thanks!

[Redd H from Salted Spoon]

This looks so superb! I adore the little ribbon treatment that you give the individual pieces. I think zucchini is my favorite summer vegetable, so versatile and inspiring. I know I'm not in the majority there! I make zucchini pancakes often and I'm not likely to get sick of them.

[Jennifer @ Mother Thyme]

This is fabulous! I have baskets full of zucchini and this will be a great recipe to use my zucchini with and to take to some family and friends!

[Sasha @ The Procrastobaker]

I have so many things to say about this post! Firstly - that brownie pan is ingenious! It would be perfect for making personal little dinner roll/loaves. Secondly - ive never baked with zucchini but we have so so much of it in the veggie patch that ive decided THIS is the year to change this fact! Thirdly - you are amazing and any recipe by you I trust wholeheartedly. Im making this. I may love you a little :)

[Sasha @ The Procrastobaker]

Sorry to leave another comment so quickly! I was just looking at the method and (apologies if im being blind and youve said this somewhere else) but i only have round or loaf tins, no bundt or fancy brownie pans :) do you have any advice on how i could make it in these tins?

[sandi goldsmith]

Instead of sugar can I use a sugar substitute? We're diabetic and would love to try this recipe. Thanks, Sandi

[miya]

simple but looks so gorgeous!

[Sue]

Makes perfect sense to me:) I love the tiny loaves too! It's great to have another zucchini recipe besides the traditional quick bread! They look fabulous all dressed up.

[Grammy@gram-cracker.com/blog]

Thank you!!! I have all this Zucchini that a friend shared with us and have exhausted every idea I had. I love pound cake and apparently it loves me right back as it never leaves me, takes up residence on my thighs and stays forever! Now thats love....:)

[Lyndsey]

I'm in love with your blog, so I was excited to see it’s picture posted elsewhere: http://theberry.com/2011/08/22/so-many-pretty-things-32-photos/so-many-pretty-25/ Then it occurred to me that they might not have asked permission as there was no link to your blog included. Just wanted to make you aware of it!

[grace]

the good thing about the glut of zucchini is that it inspires all kinds of new uses for it! lovely, amanda. :)

[amy]

I realize these are not baking recipes but they are super simple zucchini recipes!
http://www.beckyhiggins.com/recipes/?p=31

http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/zucchini-pasta?czone=eat-well/seasonal-foods/summer&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/cukes-and-zukes

[Kulsum at JourneyKitchen]

I adore that pan Amanda. So very cute and makes the little pound cakes looks adorable. I shy away from pound cakes obviously because it starts showing on all wrong places when I have too much of it and its so easy to have too much of pound cake. Or atleast for me it is. Since it has Zucchini I shall imagine I'm having my veggies no?

[Lissa (The Wedding Bistro at Bellenza)]

That partitioned pan is just great! And I love how you packaged each portion of pound cake -- so quaint & charming!

[Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction]

Oh, this pound cake sounds absolutely amazing. And, that is a fun pan! :)

[Shaina]

Not only do I love the idea of a zucchini pound cake, but I am completely excited about that pan. My husband only eats the outer edge of the brownies. Ever. This would be perfect for him.

[miranda]

I totally have a brownie pan, and would have never thought of doing that with it.
That is an awesome idea.
Thanks!

[jodell]

I just finished making this and it is superb! I didn't have one of those cool brownie pans, so I used 6 mini loaf pans instead. Thanks so much for going through all the trial and error to provide us with a most excellent recipe :)

[Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.]

I can't wait to try these! Featuring this on my fan page today

[athena]

I used the regular loaf pans. How many would this recipe make and what temperature and how long should I bake it for?

Excited to try this recipe! Thanks!

[Alison L.]

Oh, my gosh - SO DELICIOUS! I made this last night and it smelled so amazing that my husband and I could not wait until the cake cooled completely to cut into it (Sorry, Amanda!). The flavor was incredible and the texture - a thin, golden crust surrounding the super moist interior - was divine. I know I'm supposed to share, but I could only bear to part with one large piece...OK, my husband and I ate the majority of the cake last night and for breakfast this morning, but even so, it's almost too good to give away!

[Diana]

I am wondering how to add pumpkin to this recipe vs. the zucchini. I made the zucchini recipe and it was a hit. Now that fall is upon us, Pumpkin Pound Cake sounds good to me. Any ideas on how much pumpkin can be added for flavor, yet to retain good baking results?

seaglassgal@comcast.net

[Amanda Rettke]

http://dineanddish.net/2011/09/pumpkin-bundt-cake-with-pumpkin-glaze-at-i-am-baker/

Kristen just posted this great recipe, I have heard wonderful things about it!