By Nora turned eighteen months this week and I want to mark it the way I've tried to mark every meaningful interval: with accuracy about who she is, not a generic baby milestone but this specific person at this specific moment.
Nora at eighteen months: runs everywhere, no exceptions. Has opinions about every food item which she communicates through yes (eating with focus) or no (removing the item from the tray and placing it at the edge with a precision that suggests filing rather than rejection). Says approximately twenty-five words, more when she is in a communicating mood, fewer when she has decided silence is sufficient. Has a specific laugh for Liam that she does not use for anyone else -- a full-body laugh that she generates when he is being ridiculous, which he is often, and which she receives with the delight of someone who got exactly what they wanted from the universe. Loves blueberries with an intensity that approaches the theological.
I took her to the eighteen-month checkup alone because Sean had a site issue he couldn't leave. She walked in holding my hand and walked out holding my hand and was cooperative for all of it and only briefly protested the vaccination. Healthy, ahead of schedule, a satisfactory report from the pediatrician who has been seeing her since April 2020 and takes a clear professional pleasure in her development.
Blueberry muffins on Saturday because Nora. They were gone before noon. That is the accurate review.
The blueberry muffins disappeared before noon, which meant the weekend still needed something to bake — and this zucchini coffee cake has become my answer whenever the occasion is celebratory but the mood is quiet, which is exactly what the Saturday after an eighteen-month checkup tends to be. It has the same generous, unfussy energy I want from food on days that are already full: a streusel top, a tender crumb, and a kitchen that smells like you did something right. Nora approved, which, given her established filing system, is the only review that counts.
Yummy Zucchini Coffee Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- For the streusel topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), lightly squeezed dry
Instructions
- Heat oven and prep pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or a 9-inch square pan with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.
- Make the streusel. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips until the mixture clumps into coarse, pea-sized crumbles. Refrigerate while you prepare the batter.
- Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in the oil, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Fold in zucchini. Add the shredded, squeezed zucchini to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. The batter will look a bit rough — that’s normal.
- Combine and fill pan. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Add streusel and bake. Scatter the chilled streusel evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for 38–42 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the streusel is golden.
- Cool before slicing. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 268 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 41g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 195mg