Apple Zucchini Bundt Cake with Crunchy Limoncello Glaze

I really look forward to apple baking season. I am a baker that will look for an excuse to try absolutely every apple recipe I come across. There is usually not any recipe that I do not want to meet.

I couldn’t wait to to try out another zucchini bundt cake for the new baking challenge Anuradha and I launched: #BundtaMonth. This past weekend was the birthday of my best friend. She also adores apple desserts and she is also a big fan of my bundts. The perfect excuse to make another bundt! It just came down to finding a different and little more unique apple cake for her celebration. Doesn’t everybody bring a bundt to a birthday?

Do you LOVE baking bundts as much as Anuradha and I do? Join us!

What is #BundtaMonth all about?

Here’s the challenge:
Anuradha and I will pick an ingredient and announce it the first week of every month. All you Bundt loving bakers need to do is use your imagination on how you’d like to incorporate it and bake a Bundt – mini Bundt or large Bundt – and link it up to our blogs throughout the month. It’s that simple!
We decided to be creative with zucchini in our September Bundts.

Here’s how to bake with #BundtaMonth:
- Bake your September #BundtaMonth Zucchini Bundt.
- Post it before September 30, 2012.
- Use the #BundtaMonth hashtag in your title. (For ex: title should read – #BundtaMonth: Chocolate Zucchini Bundt)
- Join the Bundt baking party! Share your link it to our blog hop by clicking here or here.
- Link back to both Anuradha and my announcement posts.

Apple Zucchini Bundt with Crunchy Limoncello Glaze
adapted from David Lebovitz

Ingredients
 
2 cups (280g) flour (I used half whole wheat and half all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 (350g) cups sugar
1 cup (250ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (300g) finely grated zucchini
1 large apple (I used Golden Delicious), peeled, cored and cut into small chunks

For the lemon glaze:
1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Limoncello (omit if needed and it will be fine)
1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
1 cup (140g) powdered  sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 10 cup (2.5l) bundt (or tube cake pan) with non-stick baking spray. I have great results with Pam. You could also butter and dust with flour. Tap the pan to shake out the excess flour.

Shred the zucchini and wring it together in a clean dish towel to get rid of the zucchini liquid. Set aside the zucchini.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and rosemary. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the eggs, sugar, and oils until light and fluffy; approximately 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixer; then add the vanilla.
Add the in the dry ingredients a half a cup at a time scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl to make sure everything is incorporated then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Gently fold in the zucchini and apple.
Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top.

Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Making the glaze:
Wait to make the glaze until the last few minutes of the cake baking. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. You have to wait to make the glaze until the last minute because it will get very thick.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack. Brush the glaze over the cake with a pastry brush and let the cake cool completely.

Happy bundt baking!:) 

PS: for you Twix fanatics, I am still posting that recipe I promised for copycat Twix bars when I posted the Twix Muffins last week…it’s coming up on my next post;)