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Apple Zucchini Bundt Cake with Crunchy Limoncello Glaze

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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. This Apple Zucchini Bundt Cake with Limoncello Glaze is just perfect for fall!

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?

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So I came across one from David Lebovitz. David adapted a beautiful cake that he found in Gina DePalma’s book.  Gina DePalma was the pastry chef at Babbo in New York City. I need to get a copy of this book and I dream of visiting Babbo one day when I’m back in New York City.

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I made some slight adaptions to the recipe.
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I omitted the roasted and pulsed almonds. It was a matter of time constraint. I would like to try it again with the addition of roasted/pulsed nuts. I thought the addition of apples and rosemary would make it a nice, “I’m ready for fall apple baking season” cake. I hadn’t baked a cake with rosemary since this wonderful Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. I need to use it more often in cakes.
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I also thought a little Limoncello in the glaze would be a nice idea. I hope you agree. The cake was a little more dense when mixing than the last zucchini bundt I baked. I love the flavor of extra virgin olive oil in my cakes. I decided to mellow it’s flavor with some canola oil. The cake was loved by all at the birthday dinner Friday night. I ended up baking it again for a Rosh Hashana dinner that I had at my house. Marisa was thrilled with her two birthday bundts. The second Bundt was a chocolate vegan Bundt I make to bring almost everywhere. You can’t go wrong with a Bundt.
I just love this moist and delicious fall Bundt cake. I couldn’t decide if the crunchy glaze or the cake was my favorite part.

adapted from David Lebovitz

A very important part is to shred the zucchini.  Just shred the zucchini and wring it together in a clean dish towel to get rid of the zucchini liquid. Once you do that you set aside the zucchini while you prep the other parts of the recipe.
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Love this cake? Pin to your favorite cake board and save to bake!

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;)

slightly updated from September 2012

Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Apple Zucchini Bundt with Crunchy Limoncello Glaze

Apple Zucchini Bundt Cake with Crunchy Limoncello Glaze is a perfect fall Bundt cake full of apples, zucchinis and fall spices. The crunchy Limoncello just may be the best part!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bundt Cake, limoncello, zucchini
Servings: 1 large Bundt cake

Ingredients

  • CAKE
  • 2 cups 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 cups sugar
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini
  • 1 large apple I used Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks
  • GLAZE
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Limoncello omit if needed and it will be fine
  • 1/3 cup  granulated sugar
  • 1 cup  powdered  sugar

Instructions

  • CAKE
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 10 cup (2.5bundt (or tube cake pawith 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.
  • 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.

Notes

All images and text  ©Savoring Italy.  Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  7. Terra says

    I am hoping to join in your fun, with being on vacation I may miss out though:-( I have truly enjoyed reading all the bundt cake posts:-) I love love your limoncello glaze, that seriously sounds amazing! Hugs, Terra

    Reply

  14. Lisa says

    Zucchini, apples and limoncello glaze is an explosion of flavors in such a moist bundt! My bundts never turn out so beautiful! I suppose I'm just not a 'bundty' being? 😉

    Reply

  18. Laura says

    Yum! This is unique and really delicious sounding, especially the rosemary. I too am a bundt fanatic… I am trying to decide if there is a good way to incorporate zucchini into the bundts I will be donating for a cake walk at my kids' school this Saturday! This is so up my alley!

    Reply

  21. Shulie Madnick says

    Apple and zucchini, I would never think of that combination, but makes a perfect pairing. I also know what you mean by the glaze crunch. S loves the tartness and texture, when I make it. More often than not, I don't, and he says 'but it's my favorite part!' 🙂

    Reply

  27. Paula says

    I see a nice chunk of apple peeking out of that cake in the first photo. This is another beautiful bundt and that lemon glaze…mmm…mmm…mmm. Of course your girlfriend loved it…what's not to love?!

    I found it interesting that you get rid of the liquid after grating your zucchini. I never do, just toss it all in the cake batter. Hmmm.

    Reply

  30. Helene Dsouza says

    That day I had gone to buy cake molds for my new oven and the place where we get those molds is not open for the public, otherwise its very difficult to get molds here around. I should have bought the bundt mold that day, da**. I want to participate as well now! Sounds like a fun challenge to me and I got some awesome bundt recipe up my sleeve from college time. Thanks fro sharing your wonderful creation!! =D

    Reply

  32. Patty says

    I'm now looking longingly at my Bundt pan…wishing it was filled with apple zucchini batter and headed into the oven, oh well- I'm enjoying your lovely creation;-)

    Reply

  37. Jamie says

    I thought I commented on this but what the heck it is worth a double look and two comments! I'm so in the mood for apples and apple treats like this! You know I love Bundt cakes and the added zucchini makes it even moister. And the glaze? WOW!

    Reply

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