Apple Zucchini Nut Mini Bundts ~ #BundtBakers

You know how they say to eat your fruits and vegetables?  I do it in bundt form with these Apple Zucchini Nut Mini Bundts.

Apples and baked goods have gone together for what seems like almost forever. One of the first things I remember watching my grandmother make is apple pie.  I would eagerly wait for her to finish so I could gather the leftover pastry and make mini jam tartlets with it.  So when I heard that our theme for our Bundt Bakers group this month was apples, I was really looking forward to making an apple bundt.

Since this is the time of year where bundles of zucchini are dropped off at front doors in the middle of the night, I thought apple and zucchini would be a nice combination.  Both have a lot of moisture, so even when the water is gently squeezed out of them it still results in a wonderfully moist cake. And when you add walnuts or pecans to the mix, you have the perfect combination of texture and taste.

I used a recipe from the amazing bundt book, Beautiful Bundts by Julie Ann Hession. If you like to bake bundts, then this is the book for you.  And if you don't like baking bundts then what is wrong with you? Just kidding, kind of ;). When I picked up the book to look for an apple recipe I realized I had bookmarked so many pages that it would be easier just to bake my way through it.

The hardest thing about this recipe is making sure you can grate the apples before they go brown.  I was using up apples that I already had but let me tell you don't make the mistake I did and try and use those small Disney apples from Costco.  It took me for ever and I said a few bad words as I watched the apples turning color about 1 minute after I grated them.  I was reluctant to add lemon juice as I did not want to curdle the mixture, but in hindsight I should have done that.  In the scheme of things it didn't matter that much as they were going into a cake batter anyway, and it truly did not affect the flavor at all. Maybe next time I could just dice the apple and grate the zucchini.  I also made a quick glaze of powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice, and then zested a little lemon rind for the top.  Not mandatory as the bundts are perfectly flavorful without it, but I am a big lemon fan so on it went. The spice level in this cake is on point, it is moist with a soft crumb, and with the glaze it has a little crunch and tang on the outside.  Definitely something I would make again.

If you would like to know more about #BundtBakers and see what the other bakers made for our Apple theme please scroll down below the recipe.

Apple Zucchini Nut Mini Bundts 
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g (2 cups) grated zucchini, unpeeled 
• 500g (2 cups) grated apples
• 500g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 5g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
• 2g (½ teaspoon) salt
• 1g (¼ teaspoon) baking powder
• 15g (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon 
• 5g (1 teaspoon) ground ginger
• 3g (¾ teaspoon) ground cardamom
• 1g (¼ teaspoon) ground nutmeg
• 375g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
• 125g (½ cup) packed light brown sugar
• 175ml (¾ cup) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 375g (1½ cups) chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180℃ (350℉)
2. Spray two 6-cake mini Bundt pans with baking spray; set aside.
3. Over a sink, using your hands, gently squeeze the water out of grated zucchini and apples.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg.
5. In the stand mixer bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil on medium speed for 1 minute.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time. 
7. Beat in vanilla.
8. Gradually beat in zucchini and apples, separating the strands as you add them so that they are not in clumps.
9. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
10. Beat in nuts.
11. Fill prepared pans two-thirds to three-quarters full with batter, smoothing tops.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until puffed and a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean.
13. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. Our theme this month is Apples, and we are hosted by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm - mahalo niu loa Wendy!

You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about #BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

And don’t forget to check out what our talented bakers have made this month ~

• Apple Bundt with Caramel Glaze by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Apple Butterscotch Bundt Cake by Katin špajz|
• Apple Crumb Ring Bundt by Living the Gourmet
• Apple Zucchini Nut Mini Bundts by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Black Bottom Apple Bundlets by Sneha's Recipe
• Caramel Apple Bundt Cake by Merce`s Cake
• Quinoa and Apple Bundt Cake with Rum by Cookpad
• Reduced Carb Apple Pecan Spice Cake by Palatable Pastime
• Toffee Apple Bread Pudding Bundt by Food Lust People Love
• Vegan Apple & Oats Mini Bundt Cakes by Patty's Cake

Disclaimer: Beautiful Bundts 100 Recipes for Delicious Cakes & More was sent to me for review by Robert Rose. The opinions in this review are my own.