Zucchini Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
There is nothing dramatic about this cake. A simple 9 inch round, one bowl to mix it in, getting crazy with a little cinnamon in the traditional cream cheese frosting. In other words, my kind of dessert.
The sort to make for a weeknight dinner guest. Our longtime friend Karl is leaving Seattle by way of a 'round the world trip. Of course he's endured his fair share of Eat, Pray, Love jokes, but he's in a different category, I assure you. The category of working to get through grad school, getting a job helping homeless folks find housing, and now risking like crazy to leave all that. We are going to miss him, and nothing says, "Don't forget about us!" like food. He requested puttanesca for dinner and this cake was (surprise!) concocted based on my produce drawer. (By the way, if you're interested in a spot-on commentary on the whole Eat, Pray, Love phenomenon--i.e. "How was that trip funded?!"--click here. I love it when the author says that most of us need to have our epiphanies in the middle of everyday life. Or in the middle of sheer survival.)
For Karl, on his grand adventure. May he, with joy, be thrown into the highs and lows, the sights and smells, the loneliness and companionship that such a trip can bring. And for the rest of us, on our grand adventures. Maybe it's making a cake for the first time. Maybe it's saying "no" to something we've always wanted to refuse. Maybe it's settling into the very UNadventurous reality of our own lives and--miracle of miracles--being content there.
Zucchini Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
I love that this cake uses olive oil instead of vegetable oil to moisten it. Like the recipe says, don't use extra virgin. I usually have some milder stuff around for uses like this. I love the very slightest hint of depth it gives the cake. If you don't have a mild olive oil in your pantry, I'd sub vegetable oil before you throw in an expensive extra virgin variety. And I didn't have a 9" pan with 2" sides, so used a 9" springform instead. It worked beautifully.
Recipe
August 30, 2010
Reader Comments (12)
:sobs: I'm so in denial about his leaving.
Best wishes to your friend! I love humble cakes like this one--no need for fanfare if they're that delicious and made with love.
That cakes looks just perfect. Such a wonderful late summer treat...all those flavors have us salivating!
Oh no, you didn't! ; ) Can I just quite college so I can bake all your recipes please!?
I just signed up for a memior class at richard hugo house to begin to write again after two years of not writing. My adventure begins! P.S. I want some cake. really.
That's awesome, Naomi! Good for you.
I just baked this and am watching it cool. I'm going to leave off the frosting because a) I don't have a huge sweet tooth and b) then I can eat it for breakfast tomorrow without guilt. :-)
yum. yum yum yum. oh yum.
Just read the article about eat, pray, love - totally agree! Thanks for the link. Makes me want to read Bitch magazine more.
My husband and I often talk about how much effort it takes just to be content with where we're at. There's an art to it, and I hope that others may learn it at well. It's the best way to find happiness, in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing!
Love everything about this recipe - and best of luck to your traveling friend!
Hope you and your family have a great weekend.
I have made this FIVE times since seeing the post. I add black sesame seeds & sliced almonds (have never used pecans in it- yet!). Using yellow zucchini also looks particularly nice. It also works in muffin size. Thanks for a lovely recipe!~