A simple cake with BIG flavor— spiced zucchini pear bundt cake with brown butter glaze.

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze | completelydelicious.com

I love cake. I looooove cake. But I’m not always in the mood for a fancy, high-maintenance layer cake. Sometimes I just want something simple, something quick and easy, but that still tastes amazing.

Enter this bundt cake! This spiced zucchini pear bundt cake with brown butter glaze is everything you could want in a humble but satisfying autumn dessert.

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze | completelydelicious.com

This bundt cake is filled with pears and zucchini— which are both still in season in October, by the way!— and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It’s moist, flavorful, and is honestly so good it doesn’t even need any frosting or glaze.

But who am I to pass up an opportunity to smother a cake in icing? And this glaze made with browned butter really is the literal icing on the cake.

This recipe has been on my site since 2010, but I felt I needed to re-post it today so it can get the love it deserves. Don’t be fooled by its simple appearance, you’re gonna love it!

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze | completelydelicious.com

baking tip:How to brown butter

  1. Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
  2. Add butter to the pan and melt butter (cubing the butter first allows it to melt more evenly).
  3. Once the butter is melted, it will start to foam. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan.
  4. Continue to cook butter until you see brown specs (browned milk solids) in the butter and it has a nutty aroma. Keep a close watch so it doesn’t burn!
  5. Remove from heat and immediately pour it into another dish to stop the cooking.
  6. Use the browned butter right away or put in the fridge for later use.

 

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze | completelydelicious.com

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze | completelydelicious.com
5 from 2 reviews

Spiced Zucchini Pear Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

Servings: 12 -16 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
A simple cake with BIG flavor— spiced zucchini pear bundt cake with brown butter glaze.

Ingredients
 

For the cake:

  • 1 ¼ all-purpose flour (150 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup light or dark brown sugar (105 grams)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk (125 ml)
  • 1 cup shredded zucchini (155 grams)
  • 1 cup peeled and diced pears (165 grams)

For the glaze:

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar , sifted (210 grams)
  • 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

To make the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch bundt pan with butter and flour or nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, and milk.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture just comes together and the dry ingredients have fully incorporated into the wet ingredients.
  • Fold in the shredded zucchini and chopped pears.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate or cake stand and let cool completely.

To make the frosting:

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
  •  Add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the milk and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more milk if needed. Glaze cake immediately.
  • Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up glaze before serving, if desired. Store leftover cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Calories: 170kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 162mg, Potassium: 95mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 195IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.


This recipe was originally published November 2010. Photos have been updated and minor improvements to the recipe have been made.