I wanted to make you guys a Mario Batali recipe, and I wanted to have posted it right after the blog I did on Otto. I tried making the Sweet Corn Fregola after I found the recipe on someone’s website taken from one of Batali’s cook books. That, my dears, turned out to be an absolute disaster (pronounced dramatically as “disaaaahstah”) . What I made was a sticky old mess. There were little bits of corn and fregola all over the kitchen floor, and not a delicious pasta salad in sight. Then, I thought I’d give the Pasta alla Norma a try. Upon reading though the recipe, however, it occurred to me that the outcome would not look like the dish I had enjoyed at the restaurant. So finally, I thought I’d stick to what I know best: baked goods. Ideally, this should have been made in a bundt pan, but I didn’t have one. That didn’t seem to have much effect on the finished product though, I’m happy to say.
Being that this is an olive oil cake– my favorite type of cake to bake– it came out deliciously moist. If you have still not done so, you must experiment with olive oil cakes. They are almost fool proof. Your cakes are unlikely to ever get overcooked and the texture is positively amazing. This particular cake is incredibly fragrant as it has the same type of “warm” spices that you would find in a carrot cake. The crunchy lemon glaze not only adds a great crunchy texture but a nice tangy zing.
Zucchini Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze
Adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts From The Babbo Kitchen, by Gina DePalma
For the Cake:
- 1 cup walnut pieces
- 2½ cups grated zucchini, about 2 small zucchini
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Lemon Crunch Glaze:
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 °F, and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan using nonstick cooking spray or butter, then dust it with flour to coat it completely, and tapping out the excess flour Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them until they are golden brown and aromatic, about 12-14 minutes. Cool the walnuts completely and then finely chop them in the food processor and set aside. Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment on medium speed to beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the vanilla. 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, leveling it with a spatula. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. The cake is done when it a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and it has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
While the cake is baking, prepare the Lemon Crunch 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 all of the glaze onto the entire surface of the warm cake; the glaze with adhere to the cake and set as the cake cools. Allow the cake to cool completely and the glaze to dry completely. Transfer the cake to a stand or serving plate, and if desired, the cake may be lightly dusted with confectioners sugar before serving. Any leftover cake may be wrapped and served the following day.
Make one 10-inch cake, approximately 12 servings.
The picture looks almost edible! I have never used olive oil in the cake-baking…don’t know why….the tangy crunchy frosting sounds just right for the cake!
Angie
Oooo… the cake looks fabulous! Great job! super love the lemon glaze…. yummm…. Btw, welcome back & hope you’re having a wonderful day.
Cheers, kristy
I can’t believe you had trouble with the pasta when in my mind baking is a lot harder! This cake sounds wonderful; we have so much olive oil here, coming out of our ears actually and zucchini, so this is a perfect fit! Like the tang of lemons too.
The cake sounds great..no I have not cooked olive oil cakes before but they sound like something I should cook….did you say fool proof darling…almost!!!
hugs DJ
Mmmm…I love zucchini cake! You can actually see green bits of zucchini in it! Gorgeous photo too, lighting is perfect
Summer squash…walnuts…ginger…and my favourite fat: olive oil…this is the making of a perfect cake.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us.
The photo has ultimately convinced me to try it…wonderful baking HH ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Love the idea of the crunchy lemon glaze. Sorry to read you did not have luck with the savories, but this recipe looks great. I have had olive oil cakes & I love them
xo
Have you read the book “Heat” about Mario Batali—-great read!
What a wonderful cake with zucchini, I love the sound of the lemon crunch glaze, yum!
Positively drooling.
Oh my. I’m off the blogosphere for just FIVE days and look at this loveliness that I miss. That’s making my after lunch snack of chips a hoy cookies look like card board. Le sigh.
my oh my this looks so delicious. I really must try olive oil cakes one day. The apple olive oil cake (from ottolenghi) is still on my ‘to bake list’ which only seems to grow longer, never shorter!
I love zucchini in baked goods. I’ve been making cake, cookies and bread for weeks now, but not one with olive oil and not one with a lemon glaze. This sounds wonderful and you always make everything sound diiivvinne.
I’ve never had zucchini cake before!
I’ve made this before and I must say, yours looks a lot nicer than mine! I must revisit this recipe. I’m also dying to try Gina DePalma’s ricotta pound cake.
Your reasoning for why olive oil cakes are your favorite to make are the exact reasons why I love them as well. We must be baking soul sisters ;o)
This recipe is arriving just in time for the season’s prolific summer squash. Your cake looks wonderfully moist and awesome.
Sorry your pasta didn’t turn out that way you hoped. You can always try again next time.
But I’m glad you stuck to you guns and backed up this awesomely delicious looking cake. 
Welcome back! This looks very interesting! I am definalty going to try this. I am always on the look out for something new and I LOVE LOVE LOVE MArio Batali. Ps your pic look DIVINE!!!!
What an elegant looking cake! I’ve never made cake with olive oil, but I’ve been wanting to try my hand at it. I bet it keeps the cake super moist!
that looks great! I especially like the nuts and the lemon glaze. Send me a slice?!
I can imagine how moist this is with the olive oil! Healthy and yummy!
That looks great darling! And good choice, go for the baked goods!
This looks like a little slice of heaven! I love the sound of the lemon crunch. Totally irresistible!
this looks great :O)
I went to a restaurant for my MIL’s bday on Friday and we were all intrigued by the Olive Oil cake they had on the menu. Nobody was daring enough to give it a shot! But this looks fantastic!
That’s too bad about the sweet corn disaster… Hopefully the olive oil cake made up for it!
What a beautiful looking cake! I have never made a olive oil cake but I really want too. I’m a fan of anything that is fool proof
Oh and a cake that will stay moist even if over baked 
I’m sorry to hear your pasta didn’t work out but you should try it again. You never know, the next time may just work.
I’m a baked goods girl too. I have yet to cook an olive oil cake, but this looks like a cake I could love.
Darn it. I keep forgetting that I want to make an olive oil cake. Your cake is just lovely and the lemon crunch glaze sounds like the perfect topper!
I just found your blog tonight…and what a great post to stumble upon! I too love olive oil cake and this edition with zucchini sounds especially delicious. Thank you for sharing (and I think that glaze sounds stellar too!)
This is one of my all-time fave baking books. I’ve made at least half a dozen things out of it, and each was just fantastic. Have you tried the ricotta pound cake recipe yet? To die for!
A delightful zucchini moist cake, my sweet!
MMMMMMM,…the glaze looks special too!
Kisses from Brussels!
I’m so glad to hear you say that you love baking with olive oil. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to yet. This zucchini olive oil cake looks absolutely moist and perfectly done!
The cake sounds amazing, and that glaze would have me running back for more!
HH, the plum sauce is different from the Hoisin sauce….it tastes more like tangy lemon chicken.
I guess I had better buy the book…. you are always so ahead of the game, HH! Zucchini cake already – mine is just growing in the garden – but now I actually DON’T mind (you know it was all about the flowers, for me) as I can make a cake like this! Incredible – and Thank you. I will keep you posted as I will definitely POST it.
XOXOXO
Valerie
I hope you have a great weekend!
Daaaaaarling HH! You have excelled yourself with this cake – it looks and tastes divine (I know cos I snook a bit!)
I nominate HH cake & pizza supremo to the blogosphere!
Have a wonderful Bank Holiday Weekend,
*Hugs*
XOXO LOLA:)
Hi! Just found your blog…I am also an American in England! And can be found most days in my kitchen…gotta love immigration! Thanks for a laugh and a recipe!
Ok so i made the cake. It was DELICIOUS!!!! My husband is trying to convince me to have another slice but i am resisting as i am trying to go on a diet as i have stopped smoking and put on 6 kilos….
Ok so i had another peice. Love this love this love this!
I have never made an olive oil cake but this sounds fabulious! I need to…, I have to try this!
This cake looks so fantastic, and I love the glaze pared with it
Wonderful!
I like this better anyway 
Sorry about your Corn Fregola though
That looks gorgeously delicious. I love the idea of adding a crunch topping to a zucchini cake, yum.
I am going to make this very soon. I have yet to bake a cake with olive oil but have come across all kinds of delicious recipes for doing so, this being yet another. I love the idea of the lemony glaze. I’m sold!
I am always reading about using olive oil in cakes. I can imagine the moisture it must add to the finished cake-delicious. I know I would enjoy it, if only I would start baking. I love to cook can’t bake to save my life. I usually turn to the hubby for the baking. I think I might just share this recipe with him.
A perfect cake with beautiful ingredients and great texture!
That’s great dear! I have never tried olive oil or zucchini for cakes but this one sounds and look very interesting with great combo of spices! Love to try it soon!
I can’t even begin to imagine how good that must taste!
That is one positively drool-worthy cake, alright. And a lemon crunch glaze? Bring it on!
x0×0x0×0 – and have a fabulous weekend!
Another winner …. have a yellow courgette in the veg basket – I know what I’ll do with it now!
Darling HH – I love zucchini cake! My go to recipe is from the Tartine cookbook but years ago – I bought this Babbo Dessert cookbook and have sadly never made anything from it. I am going to make sure that this is rectified immediately.