Zucchini Bread in a Bundt Pan

Ah August. That time of year when garden produce is in abundance, and about everywhere you go, someone has zucchini to offer. The zucchini in my backyard garden isn't exactly thriving, so I was actually glad to find an opportunity to bring home one of these summer squash. By the time I had made my way over to claim mine, only the largest was left. Just the same, I brought it home, peeled and shredded it, and have been making multiple batches of zucchini bread - hence the topic of this post.
Zucchini belongs to the plant family Cucurbitacea, which includes other squash species, pumpkins, and cucumbers. Like other squash, zucchini has its origins in the Americas, however, the development and harvesting of the zucchini, as we know it today, occurred in northern Italy sometime around the second half of the 19th century. Its description first appeared in a publication in Milan in 1901. The first description of zucchini in the United States dates to the 1920s. It is assumed that immigrants from Italy brought seeds with them and began cultivating zucchini after their arrival. 
Although zucchini can grow to be rather large, most are harvested at around 8 inches in length when the flesh and seeds are still soft. Zucchini is most often cooked, however, I have seen some vegetable trays with very young, raw zucchini. Zucchini can be stewed with tomatoes and onions, deep-fried, or baked. Larger zucchini can be sliced, have the seeds removed, and then stuffed with a mixture of meet, rice, and herbs.
Of course, zucchini bread is always a popular option for managing a surplus of large zucchini. Multiple recipes exist, but here is one that we have come to enjoy this summer. I like baking it in the bundt pan mostly for the effect of presentation. It's also pretty easy to slice a small wedge for breakfast or a between meal snack. 

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups brown sugar - If you like it a little less sweet, feel free to decrease the amount of sugar to 1 1/2 cups. Depending on your preferences, you can use regular or dark brown sugar or even a combination of both

2/3 cup oil

2 cups shredded zucchini (I just use the grater attachment on my food processor)

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Beat eggs together until nice and frothy. I use the whisk attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer to do this.

If you are using a Kitchen Aid mixer, switch to the regular mixer attachment for the rest of the process.

2. Mix in the sugar and oil at medium speed.

3. Mix in the shredded zucchini at low to medium speed. Don't worry that the batter is rather stringy in consistency.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients. If you have been using a hand mixer, just stir them in with a wooden spoon. If you are using a Kitchen Aid mixer, use a low speed to more closely approximate stirring them in with a spoon.

Prepare the bundt pan by generously greasing the Bundt pan with Crisco and then flouring it. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes. After baking, place the pan on a wire rack to cool and allow it to cool completely. After cooling, invert the pan on the rack. If the cake doesn't release right away, allow it to sit and let gravity help release the zucchini bread. I've had pretty good luck with this one releasing without too much trouble.

Enjoy! I would imaging that this would taste good with a light cream cheese icing or even with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. We just tend to eat it for breakfast.