Easy Zucchini Cake with Red Currants

This easy zuchinni cake recipe with seasonal berries is a great way to use up a bounty crop of zucchini. We make it almost daily in my home over the summer!

Two of our favourite foods come to harvest around the same time each year: zucchini and red currants. While the currants unfortunately don’t last long, along with zucchini they freeze very well and can be enjoyed well into the winter (if they aren’t gobbled before then!).

Red currants are beautiful little grape-like berries: they are very seedy and tart-tasting so some people don’t enjoy them as much. Like most berries, they are very high in antioxidants, fiber and minerals and may even protect against neurodegenerative brain diseases (for example Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease) and improve memory and thinking abilities.

Here is one of our favourite quick recipes for moist and delicious zucchini bread. The cake is great even without the currants, or you can substitute other tart berries such as raspberries or dried cranberries.

Zucchini Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (keep the peel on and shred just prior to use to keep in the moisture)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup red currants or other tart berry (e.g. raspberry, dried cranberries)

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In another large bowl beat eggs and with a fork blend in sugar and oil. Stir in zucchini. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir together (no need to overmix). Fold in the currants/berries.

Pour the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Once finished, take out and let cool completely.

Glaze:

• ½ cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
• 2 tbsps milk
• juice from 2 tbsps of crushed red currants, strained (for pink colour)

Combine all ingredients to for a runny glaze. You may need to add a little more milk to reach desired consistency. Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over it. Serve and enjoy!

Do you have a favourite zucchini cake recipe? We’d love for you to share it in the comments below.