Chai-Zucchini Loaf Cakes Topped with Cinnamon Glaze - Recipe from Bake from Scratch

      The seasonal zucchini harvest yields a wonderfully tender and eagerly awaited loaf cake. Enhance your traditional recipe with a fragrant combination of chai spices and a creamy Cinnamon Glaze. The inclusion of banana helps to bind the batter, while a neutral oil contributes to the cakes' lightness, tenderness, and remarkable moisture. Substitute water for heavy cream in the glaze to make a dairy-free recipe that everyone can enjoy.

      Yields 2 (8½x4½-inch) cakes

      1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar

      1 cup (227 grams) mashed ripe banana

      ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

      ½ cup (112 grams) neutral oil

      1 large egg (50 grams), at room temperature

      1½ teaspoons (9 grams) vanilla bean paste

      3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour

      1¾ teaspoons (3.5 grams) ground cardamom

      1½ teaspoons (3 grams) ground cinnamon

      1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt

      1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda

      ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking powder

      ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

      ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

      ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

      2 cups (319 grams) shredded zucchini (approximately 2 large zucchini)

      ½ cup (57 grams) chopped toasted pecans

      Cinnamon Glaze (recipe below)

      Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 2 (8½x4½-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray and line them with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, banana, brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla bean paste, whisking until everything is well blended. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in three installments, folding gently until just combined after each addition. (At this stage, the mixture may appear quite dry, but the batter will eventually come together.) Fold in the zucchini and pecans until the mixture is moistened and well mixed. Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared pans; use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it out into an even layer. Tap the pans on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle the batter. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, which should take 50 minutes to 1 hour. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Using the excess parchment as handles, transfer the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a wire rack. When ready to serve, remove the parchment and drizzle or spread the Cinnamon Glaze over the cooled cakes as desired.

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      Cinnamon Glaze

      Yields about 1¾ cups

      2⅔ cups (320 grams) confectioners’ sugar

      ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 grams) heavy whipping cream

      ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt

      ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

      In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together until smooth and fully combined. Use immediately.

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