Zucchini Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze

The holiday season is in full swing. Some people love it; some people want to hide under the couch until January 2nd. Whichever group you fall into, we can all agree that this is the best time of the year to fire up the oven and start baking, sharing, and of course, eating.

What about ringing in the holiday season with this Zucchini Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze?
This is a pretty spectacular festive cake; if only for the pairings of walnuts, cinnamon, and ginger. Not to mention the to-die-for orange glaze.
And yes, I know all too well that zucchini is not a winter crop but you can find it everywhere. So why not?

This Bundt cake is perfect for Christmas. It would be even gorgeous on New Year’s Eve buffet. Maybe it isn’t as flashy as biscotti or cookies, but the taste is out-of-this-world.
It’s also something I imagine any family would snack on with that first cup of coffee or apple cider the morning they open presents.
Last year this zucchini cake made its way to several events including a party at my office, where I spent quite a lot of time with my colleagues guessing all the ingredients. They never got it right but they were coming back for more.

The cake is moist and packs quite a flavor punch (thanks to the spices) but is not overly sweet. In fact, the acidity of the orange glaze works extremely well against the rich center. One slice goes a long way.
A holiday-worthy zucchini cake that will get raves from your family and friends.

Zucchini Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze                                                               Print this recipe!
Adapted from Chef Lynn Crawford

Ingredients
Serves 18

Cake

1 cup walnut pieces, roughly chopped
2 cups flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ cups brown sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups grated zucchini

Orange glaze

3 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the middle. Generously grease a Bundt pan cake and dust with flour to coat completely, tapping out the excessive flour.
In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
In another bowl beat (with a hand mixer or a stand mixer) eggs, sugar, and olive oil until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients on low speed until combined. Fold in zucchini and walnuts with a spatula until they are completely incorporated, but do not overmix.
Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Prepare the glaze while the cake is baking — you will need to apply it to the cake when it’s reasonably warm. Whisk the orange juice and sugar, then add the confectioner’s sugar until completely smooth.
After taking the cake out of the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack. Apply the glaze using a pastry brush or a spatula. Allow to cool and dry completely before cutting.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 319 calories, 17 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of protein.