{"id":440,"date":"2007-12-19T06:26:38","date_gmt":"2007-12-19T06:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/12\/19\/zucchini-olive-oil-cake-with-lemon-crunch-glaze\/"},"modified":"2008-08-20T17:36:04","modified_gmt":"2008-08-20T17:36:04","slug":"zucchini-olive-oil-cake-with-lemon-crunch-glaze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/12\/19\/zucchini-olive-oil-cake-with-lemon-crunch-glaze\/","title":{"rendered":"Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze"},"content":{"rendered":"

One last and final recipe from Gina DePalma’s Dolce Italiano<\/a>. When I posted the Sicilian Pistachio Cookies<\/a> and the Mosaic Biscotti<\/a>, I mentioned I had a third recipe already prepared in the wings when I received the pistachio paste. <\/p>\n

Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze. <\/strong><\/p>\n

If you’re looking for Gina’s Dolce Italiano<\/a>, Amazon reminded me in the U.S. you can still order it today and tomorrow (Dec. 19th and 20th) with 2-day shipping and then 1-day shipping – here are their holiday ordering cutoffs<\/a>. If you’re really getting down to the wire, remember that Amazon Gift Cards<\/a>\"\" are always a nice touch – or donate in their name for the Menu for Hope<\/strong>! Check my Artigianale Basket Details and Menu for Hope Prize Highlights for some ideas!<\/a><\/p>\n

While this Zucchini cake isn’t as flashy as the biscotti or the cookies for the holiday season, it definitely satisfies you during these winter months. It’s something I imagine my family would snack on with that first cup of coffee or apple cider the morning we open presents. <\/p>\n

When I was quite young I used to wake up my brother really early to go downstairs and look at all the presents. Before digital clocks, I once misread the first and second-hands of 1:35 as 7:05! My brother hasn’t let me forget that one. After that my parents then instituted the “7am” rule. If we woke up earlier, we could open our stockings and nothing else. When 7am came around, if they were still in bed, we could “gently suggest” they rise, and we had to give them time to brew a cup of coffee before we got settled and started opening presents. <\/p>\n

Therefore in my nostaglia, I am renaming this cake the 7am Christmas Morning Cake<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Do you have a special breakfast tradition on holiday mornings? A special pastry or cake that makes an appearance?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In reality the Zucchini cake made its way to several events including a party and my office, where I spent quite a lot of time with my Italian colleagues and friends guessing all the ingredients in the cake. They never guessed zucchini! I love surprising them, and they came back for more!<\/p>\n

\"Grated<\/a><\/p>\n

Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze<\/h3>\n

Adapted from Gina DePalma’s Dolce Italiano – the instructions call for a bundt pan, which I didn’t have. If you use a glass baking tray, make sure to test the doneness often. I love the bite of the lemon and the nuttiness of the walnuts adds a dimension to the cake that’s hard to distinguish. I think next time I’ll keep them in pieces as I love to crunch through them.<\/em><\/p>\n

For the cake<\/strong>
\n1 cup walnut pieces
\n2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 00, though)
\n1 t. baking powder
\n1\/2 t. baking soda
\n1 t. kosher salt
\n2 t. ground cinnamon
\n1 t. ground ginger
\n1\/2 t. ground nutmeg
\n3 large eggs
\n1 3\/4 c. granulated sugar
\n1 c. extra-virgin olive oil
\n2 t. pure vanilla extract
\n2 1\/2 c. grated zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)<\/p>\n

For the Lemon Crunch Glaze<\/strong>
\n1\/4c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
\n1\/3c. granulated sugar
\n1 c. confectioner’s sugar<\/p>\n

\"Olive<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Toast the walnuts for 12-14 minutes, keeping an eye on them so as not to burn them! Set them aside to cool (you can keep the oven on if you want) and then chop them in a food processor finely.<\/li>\n
  2. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and spices) together. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil together for a few minutes. Beat in dry ingredients slowly on low speed until mixed well. At this point, the batter got alarmingly dry, but there is so much moisture in the zucchini, it will be very moist. Mix in grated zucchini and walnuts.<\/li>\n
  3. Bake the cake from 45-50 minutes. I was using a non-bundt pan so it actually took much longer – don’t be afraid to check it at 35, 45, 55 minutes, etc. until it’s done! The center should not be wobbly and if you insert a toothpick, it should come out clean. <\/li>\n
  4. Prepare the glaze while the cake is baking – you will need to apply it to the cake when it’s reasonably hot\/warm. Whisk the lemon juice and granulated sugar together, then the confectioner’s sugar until completely smooth.<\/li>\n
  5. After taking the cake out of the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then (if in a bundt) invert it onto a wire rack. If in another type of pan, you can apply the glaze directly using a pastry brush or a spatula. Allow to cool and dry completely before cutting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"Preparing<\/a><\/p>\n

    Thanks, Gina – and now the rest of you – get out there and get the cookbook – maybe you’ll find your family’s next tradition in it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"Zucchini-Olive<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    One last and final recipe from Gina DePalma’s Dolce Italiano. When I posted the Sicilian Pistachio Cookies and the Mosaic Biscotti, I mentioned I had a third recipe already prepared in the wings when I received the pistachio paste. Zucchini-Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crunch Glaze. If you’re looking for Gina’s Dolce Italiano, Amazon reminded…<\/p>\n

    Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105,106,3,11],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-440","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog-event","7":"category-dessert","8":"category-food","9":"category-recipe","10":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4uB1-76","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":428,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/12\/03\/dolce-italiano-sicilian-pistachio-cookies\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":0},"title":"Dolce Italiano: Sicilian Pistachio Cookies","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"December 3, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Important Note: I'm seeing some confusion in the comments section - You do not need pistachio paste to make this recipe - the original recipe (listed below) calls for whole pistachios. I used the paste because I had it on hand. So we're in week 2 of the Dolce Italiano\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Event"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Event","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/blog-event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pure Bronte (Sicilian) Pistachios ready for my cookies","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2413\/2082620147_6ff1c7c65c.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":425,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2007\/11\/26\/dolce-italiano-mosaic-biscotti\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":1},"title":"Dolce Italiano: Mosaic Biscotti","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"November 26, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Clarification: Comments will be accepted as contest entries on any\/all 10 Dolce Italiano posts through Friday, December 7th (11:59p.m. Pacific Standard Time). I'm joining fellow bloggers and Italy lovers Ilva from Lucullian Delights, Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, Shelley from At Home in Rome and Jenn from the Leftover Queen to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Event"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Event","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/blog-event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mosaic Biscotti from Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2330\/2065390414_c893ef34d2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4780,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/17\/lemon-almond-cake-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":2},"title":"Lemon Almond Cake (Gluten Free) Recipe and Making a Recipe your Own","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"April 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Do you feel confident enough to create a recipe from scratch? That was one of the reasons I bought Michael Ruhlman's \"Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everday Cooking\" so I could feel more confident dissecting a recipe and making it my own without messing up the right\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Dessert"","block_context":{"text":"Dessert","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/recipe\/dessert\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Michael Ruhlman Ratio","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/51JIkVVObaL._BO2204203200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-clickTopRight35-76_SX285_SY380_CR00285380_SH20_OU01_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":505,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2008\/04\/08\/chocolate-and-pistachio-semifreddo-with-cacao-nibs-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":3},"title":"Chocolate and Pistachio Semifreddo with Cacao Nibs Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"April 8, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"The weather in Milan has been beautiful for the past week or so. Of course it's snowing in other parts of Europe I hold dear and now rain is in our near forecast, but that didn't stop me from enjoying a walk home last night and this weekend wanting a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Chocolate"","block_context":{"text":"Chocolate","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/chocolate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chocolate and Pistachio Semifreddo with Cocao Nibs","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2392\/2398050022_f7ef2520c0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":92,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2005\/10\/21\/roman-holiday\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":4},"title":"Roman Holiday","author":"Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy","date":"October 21, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Last weekend I had the chance to attend a beautiful wedding in Rome, a Pugliese-Expat wedding much like our own, but on a much different scale. They had the wedding everyone, in and outside of Rome, would love to have in Italy. And they were lucky enough to have it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Food"","block_context":{"text":"Food","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":471,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2008\/03\/04\/spring-frittata-with-peas-leeks-and-zucchini-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":440,"position":5},"title":"Spring Frittata with Peas, Leeks and Zucchini Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"March 4, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"This past weekend (after recovering from the Girl Geek Dinner) we woke up to a sun that was blindingly bright and screamed \"Springtime!\" After another mild winter here in Italy, it's a bit too much to hope that spring is already here, but for the weekend, we all believed it.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Entree"","block_context":{"text":"Entree","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/recipe\/entree\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Leeks, Peas and Zucchini ready for a Frittata","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2155\/2308987907_c49b591a2b.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}