Zucchini Cake -- Answer to Abundance

By Lydia Manx

In the 70's there was a huge movement to grow your own veggies. I think it was a holdover from the 60's and the peace and love movement. Growing up in Southern California gardens were lush and the veggies did well. We didn't know that squash were little more than kudzu with good PR. I think everyone on our block planted the same seed packs. Zucchini, radishes, tomatoes, peas, beans and onions. Zucchini tended to think the yard was their domain and soon there were mysterious bags of squash appearing on doorsteps unasked. Ironically this was the same time those containers of "Friendship Bread" appeared and I think there may have been a correlation since one of the recipes included zucchini. For those of you scratching your heads -- Friendship Bread was a baggy or container of basically a yeast starter that you had to feed like a teenager and then ship off to strangers in the middle of the night as it grew.

With the economic downturn and the new age of DIY (Do It Yourself) quite a few of us are gardening again. I never stopped, but haven't had much luck with zucchini given the weather. Well, my lovely neighbor visited her uncle and was gifted some large zucchini and cucumbers. I accepted one last night and dug out the recipe. While this cake cooked I found myself fondly remembering a golden age of my youth. Enjoy.

Oh and I don't have a clue who Clifton is ... but the recipe is tasty.

Clifton's Zucchini Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini, packed
1 cup finely chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs on medium speed of mixer for four minutes. Sift together flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold zucchini and nuts into sugar mixture. Fold in flour mixture and vanilla blending thoroughly. Turn batter into well-greased 9? angel cake tube pan (I used a bundt pan). Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 or longer then remove and plate (I used a Teflon coated pan sprayed with Pam and dumped onto the plate 4 or 5 minutes out of oven).

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons margarine (yeah I used margarine NOT butter ... but the texture is different)
1 teaspoon lemon extract (I used fresh lemon juice about 2 teaspoons)

Mix or beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, margarine and lemon until thoroughly blended.