Zucchini Cake Without an Oven | Easy Homemade Cake Recipe
A moist, spiced zucchini cake with lemon zest, made on the stovetop without an oven or baked conventionally in an oven.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- grater
- Whisk or wooden spoon
- 2 approximately 7-inch heavy-bottomed pans for stovetop baking, or one 1 kg cake tin for oven baking
- Baking Paper
- Gas stove or conventional oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 cups grated zucchini courgettes
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla flavouring
Instructions
- Prepare the dry ingredients.In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and mixed spice. Mix well so that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Prepare the zucchini.Wash the zucchini and grate it using a grater. Measure out three cups of grated zucchini. Fresh zucchini generally provides sufficient moisture for this cake, so you do not need to add milk or water.
- Mix the wet ingredients.In a separate mixing bowl, add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla flavouring, lemon zest, and grated zucchini. Mix until well combined.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients.Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix thoroughly until you have a well-combined cake batter. Avoid unnecessary overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.
- Prepare your baking pans.For stovetop baking, grease and dust two approximately 7-inch heavy-bottomed pans. Line the bottoms with baking paper to help the cakes release neatly after baking.Alternatively, grease and prepare one 1 kg cake tin for conventional oven baking.
- Divide the batter.Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, estimating the quantities so that the cakes are approximately the same size.
- Bake without an oven.Place the pans on your gas stove. Briefly heat the pans over a higher flame for approximately 20–30 seconds, then reduce to the lowest suitable setting for your stove. The exact flame setting will depend on your cooker and pans; the goal is to maintain gentle heat without burning the bottom of the cake.Cover the pans if your baking setup requires it, and allow the cakes to bake slowly. In my experience, one cake took approximately 40 minutes and the other about 50 minutes.Check for doneness by inserting a skewer or thin knife into the centre. It should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs, rather than wet batter.
- Alternatively, bake in an oven.Preheat your oven to 160–170°C. Transfer the batter to your prepared 1 kg cake tin and bake until the cake is cooked through. Begin checking at around 45 minutes, allowing more time if necessary. Baking time will depend on your tin and oven.
- Cool and serve.Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the pan or tin. Slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or your favourite homemade drink.
Video
Notes
- Don't skip the lemon zest. It adds a lovely citrus aroma and helps give the cake its distinctive flavour.
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Use fresh zucchini. Grate it shortly before preparing the batter for the best results.
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No extra liquid is needed. The grated zucchini supplies moisture to the batter.
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Bake gently on the stovetop. A very low flame helps the cake cook through without burning underneath.
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Allow for differences in baking time. Pan thickness, stove heat, tin size, and oven performance can all affect how long the cake takes to bake.