The one that got away

Anybody who has grown zucchinis will understand this. Despite our best efforts to keep the crop smallish and manageable we found one enormous zucchini. Grated, it filled the bowl of the food processor and filled eight firmly packed cups. It has now become zucchini slice, fritters, pancakes and best of all Zucchini loaf.   Sometimes I make it as a loaf but mostly bake it in a cake tin. I prefer smaller slices that are easily picked up and consumed in one or two bites, you can always have more pieces. Thickly sliced and spread with butter - a very 'moorish' use of the zucchini. It is also nice spread with cream cheese frosting.  It keeps quite well and can be toasted. As the zucchini is a bland vegetable, I add some glace orange peel, combined with the spices it gives and added lift to the cake.

Make this with the peel from oranges. I have a freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice every day. When I want some more peel I save up a few days worth,and then make a batch. I remove any flesh, cut the halves into quarters and put them in a plastic container in the fridge. Use the the technique for Candied Peel from the post Lots of Lemons up to the point of cooking in the syrup. Simmer gently in the syrup for about twenty minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer the orange peel and syrup into a clean dry container and refrigerate. When I need the peel I remove a few slices from the syrup and then cut it into small pieces. Use this peel in desserts such as bread and butter pudding, cakes and for fruit/hot cross buns.

Zucchini Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup canola or grapeseed oil 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar 3 eggs 2 cups finely grated zucchini 1 1/2 cups self raising flour 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour

1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg Optional ½ cup glace orange peel, finely chopped

Method

Grease and line the sides and bottom of a large square cake tin or 2 smaller loaf tins or large round cake tin and then grease again. I use baking parchment.

Put oil, sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat thoroughly.

Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pour into prepared cake tins. Bake 160 deg C until skewer comes out clean, approximately 90 minutes. Cooking time will vary according to the size of the tin.

Leave in tin for 10 minutes and then remove the cake from the tin. 

Stand on a cake cooler.

Serve warm or cold, sliced with butter

Quick Mix Technique

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Pour into prepared cake tins. Bake 160 deg C until skewer comes out clean, approximately 90 minutes. Cooking time will vary according to the size of the tin.

Leave in tin for 10 minutes and then remove the cake from the tin. 

Stand on a cake cooler 

Serve warm or cold, sliced with butter.