Who said that zucchini was only for savory dishes?! This Zucchini Olive Oil Bundt Cake is moist and flavorful, consisting of shredded zucchini, olive oil, walnuts, and warm spices.
This Italian cake is slathered with lemon crunch glaze and then dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Each piece of cake is a serious treat - a sweet way to end any lunch or dinner!
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- It’s irresistibly moist and flavorful from the zucchini and olive oil.
- The lemon in the glaze balances the sweetness of this bundt cake.
- The walnuts and warm spices make this best zucchini cake for the fall season.
The combination of the zucchini and lemon flavors is absolutely divine. My family and friends can't get enough of this unique and delicious cake. It's now a staple in my dessert repertoire!
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- olive oil -- a good grade extra-virgin olive oil that's rich in flavor is ideal.
- walnuts -- the secret to an added layer of flavor is that whatever nut you like, roast it first to bring out the flavor.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Toast the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven for 12-14 minutes. Once cooled, chop them finely in a food processor. Set aside.
- Grease a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and dust it with flour to coat it completely. Tap out excess flour.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the eggs, sugar, and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer or easy cake hand mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Scrape the wet ingredients down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Beat in the dry ingredients all at once on low speed until combined well. Switch to medium speed for an extra 30 seconds.
- Beat in the zucchini and the walnuts on low speed until completely mixed.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through.
- Prepare the glaze by combining lemon juice, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
- Whisk until completely smooth.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert it onto a wire cooling rack. Gently brush the glaze over the entire surface of the warm cake with a pastry brush.
- Let the cake cool completely and the glaze to dry completely.
- Transfer the cake to a cake stand or plate and dust the top of the cake lightly with confectioners’ powdered sugar.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover zucchini olive bundt cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 days. It’s best wrapped in plastic and served the following day.
This olive oil bundt cake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature before serving.
📚 Variations
- Use pecans or other nuts of your choice instead of walnuts or in addition to walnuts.
- Make this cake with gluten-free flour for those with sensitivities.
- Omit the lemon juice for a plain vanilla sugar glaze. Lime juice or orange juice are great substitutes.
- Add a little lemon zest to the cake batter or garnish to the glaze for lemon zucchini cake.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Rotating the bundt pan halfway through the baking time ensures even browning.
- You’ll know when the cake is done by inserting a cake tester into the center, which should come out clean. The cake should also begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter, or it will become dense and crumble easily.
- Place the bundt cake pan on a baking tray for easy transfer to and from the oven.
- I haven’t tried making this zucchini olive oil bundt cake with a regular cake pan, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
🤔 FAQs
It adds flavor and moisture.
Absolutely! Baking cake with olive oil adds richness and moisture.
It can since olive oil adds extra flavor to a cake and moisture.
Olive oil in the cake mix adds extra flavor and moisture to the baked cake.
The safest oils for baking a cake include canola oil, olive oil, and coconut oil.
Olive oil adds a delicious fruity flavor to the cake. It also adds moisture so that you won’t need to use butter.
📗 Related recipes
- Streusel Pumpkin Crumb Cake - A moist fall-inspired coffee cake with warm spices, pumpkin puree, streusel topping with chopped pecans, and sweet vanilla glaze!
- Toasted Pecan Praline Cake With Caramel Glaze - Another mouth-watering bundt cake that’s soft and moist with toasted pecans, heath bits, and caramel pecan glaze.
- Italian Love Cake - This Italian cake is a decadent combination of marble and cheesecake, topped with fluffy whipped topping!
🍽 What to serve with zucchini olive oil cake...
This moist cake can be served as is or enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
It’s also perfect as a sweet treat alongside other favorite cakes and baked goods for high tea, birthdays, or baby and bridal showers.
🔪 All Our Way recommends
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- mixing bowls
- Electric mixer-- hand or stand mixer
- vegetable grater
- liquid measuring cup
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- spatulas
- bundt pan
- vegetable spray
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
This is a recipe that will forever change your perception of zucchini. This Zucchini Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze is a celebration of flavors, a testament to the wonders of wholesome ingredients. It's inspired me to reinvent my desserts and embrace the joy of transforming humble vegetables into indulgent treats.
Trust me, this cake will leave you craving more, and your kitchen will become the sanctuary where magic blooms. So, tie your apron, wield your spatula, and let your culinary adventure with zucchini begin.
And if you love the combination of citrus and nuts, you've got to make an Orange Almond Cake recipe that's gluten-free. This almond-orange cake dessert is a symphony of flavors that will garner a standing ovation.
Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner idea? Try making an Italian Zucchini Savory Pie with Crescent Rolls. You'll welcome all those extra zucchini your friends and neighbors are gifting you.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Best Zucchini Olive Oil Cake With Crunchy Lemon Glaze
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
For the olive oil bundt cake:
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups finely grated zucchini with skins about 2 small zucchini
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
For the lemon crunch glaze:
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and position a rack in the center. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan using nonstick cooking spray or butter, then dust it with flour to coat it completely, tapping out the excess flour.
- Place the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them until they are golden brown and aromatic, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool the walnuts completely, then finely chop them in the food processor and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In an electric mixer bowl, the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and olive oil together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula after each addition.
- Beat in the dry ingredients all at once on low speed until they are thoroughly combined, then switch the mixer to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.
- Beat in the zucchini and the walnuts on low speed until they are completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning.
- The cake is done when a tester inserted in the center 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, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and granulated sugar, then whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until the glaze is completely smooth.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack.
- Using a pastry brush, immediately brush the glaze over the entire surface of the warm cake, using all of the glaze; it will adhere to the cake and set as the cake cools.
- Allow the cake to cool completely and the glaze to dry completely.
- Tranfser the cake to a stand or serving plate, if if desired, lightly dust it with confectioner’s sugar.
- Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and served the following day.
Nutrition
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