Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze

I was given some zucchini and wanted to bake with it.  Knowing Al will eat anything with lemon, I knew this recipe would work.  The crunchy lemon glaze makes all the difference!

 This is the first time I have used olive oil in a cake and I really like the flavour it provides.  I also like the fact that the nuts are ground, because then you don't have to worry about chipping your teeth on any shell.  The texture of this cake is wonderful, I think if you forget to squeeze out the liquid from the grated zucchini it would be too moist.

Ingredients for the Cake
1 cup almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted  (I used pecans)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini (squeeze the liquid out before using)

Ingredients for the Lemon Glaze
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup icing sugar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bundt pan with PAM, dust with flour, then tap our any excess.

Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, 1 3/4 cup sugar, and olive oil for 3 minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy.  Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixer, then add the vanilla.

Mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl to make sure everything is mixed in well, then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Stir in the chopped nuts and zucchini.

Scrape the batter into the bundt pan, smooth the top, then bake the cake for 50 minutes, until the toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

During the last few minutes of the cake baking, make the glaze by whisking together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and powdered sugar.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert in onto a cooling rack. Brush the glaze over the cake with  pastry brush and let the cake cool completely.