Description
Rich chocolate zucchini bundt cake delivers morning magic with surprising vegetable moisture. Breakfast dessert lovers will savor dense chocolate layers complemented by subtle green veggie goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 large eggs (or 8 jumbo eggs)
- 1 heaping cup ham (diced into ¼-inch cubes)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (divided)
- 8 cups bread (diced into ¼-inch cubes)
- 2 cups shredded hash browns (frozen)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups spinach (chopped)
- ¼ cup green onions (chopped)
- ½ tsp salt (divided)
- ¼ tsp salt (for custard)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (for custard)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder or minced garlic
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- Large pinch cayenne
Instructions
- Spinach Preparation: Sauté chopped spinach in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until wilted, then transfer to a separate dish.
- Hash Brown Layer: In the same skillet, cook shredded hash browns until golden-brown, stirring frequently and seasoning with salt and black pepper for enhanced flavor.
- Pan Setup: Thoroughly grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick spray. Create the base layer by evenly distributing bread cubes across the bottom of the pan.
- Ingredient Layering: Uniformly spread diced ham, sautéed spinach, green onions, cooked hash browns, and shredded cheese over the bread foundation.
- Egg Custard Creation: Whisk eggs, milk, and heavy cream in a large mixing bowl. Elevate the flavor profile by seasoning with salt, black pepper, dry mustard, and a hint of cayenne pepper.
- Custard Infusion: Pour the egg mixture over the layered ingredients, ensuring complete coverage. Allow the dish to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor melding.
- Oven Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Sprinkle additional cheese on top of the prepared bundt cake.
- Baking Process: Bake for 45 minutes, monitoring for even golden-brown coloration. Verify doneness by inserting a knife, which should emerge clean when fully cooked.
- Final Presentation: Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto a serving plate, allowing the layers to settle and the dish to release smoothly.
Notes
- Bread Base Technique: Use day-old or slightly stale bread cubes for better absorption of egg custard and improved overall texture.
- Egg Custard Mixing: Whisk eggs thoroughly to incorporate air, creating a lighter, fluffier breakfast bundt cake with uniform consistency.
- Resting Time Matters: Allowing the assembled dish to rest 30 minutes or overnight helps ingredients meld, intensifying flavor and ensuring even cooking.
- Baking Precision: Use middle oven rack for consistent heat distribution and check browning at 35 minutes to prevent over-browning or drying out.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 320 mg