Tasty Cake

Ger has been banging out batches of zucchini muffins for weeks now, using our old standby recipe. They're tasty, but they're nothing new, so we skipped blogging about them. But then--wouldn't you know it--the new Martha Stewart magazine arrived, and Martha takes zucchini muffins to a whole new level.

Zucchini Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze,

From Martha Stewart Living, August 2011
1 1/2 sticked unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
[We used the Goodall's mixed spice we love so much instead of cinnamon and anise seeds. Close enough.]
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) [Not sure why they say this is optional. It would be a crime to leave it out, in my opinion.]
coarse salt
2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each)
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush a 6 cup bundt pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, spices, and 1 teaspoon salt.

2. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel or press in a ricer. (You will need 2 1/2 cups.)

3. Stir together eggs and sugar, the stir in melted butter, zucchini, and orange zest and juice. Stir in flour mixture. Transfer batter to pan.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about one hour (cake will rise quite a bit over the top of the pan but should not run over). Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cake cool for 10 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges of cake to loosen, and turn out onto wire rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.

5. Brush several layers of orange glaze evenly over cake. [I am leaving the candied zucchini part out. Who wants to be boiling syrup in this weather?]

Orange Glaze
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 pinches of ground cardamom (optional)

1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
whole milk, as needed for thinning

Whisk together sugar and cardamom. Whisk in orange zest and juice, and whisk until mixture has the consistency of thick honey. If mixture is too thick, whisk in milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Gerry didn't thin his glaze as much as they did in the magazine. I like it this way, because I think the drips look more casual and rustic. It would also be nice drizzled on the tops of zucchini muffins, just to add a touch of sweet. The Martha way, with the delicate glaze and candied zucchini would be nice for a party, but who needs all that folderal in everyday life?

We did add a handful of raisins, though. These Trader Joe's Jumbos are just too good to miss. They are one of the reasons we would never make it as locavores! Big and juicy, a little go a long way!