Zucchini and Yellow Squash Cakes

This is one of the best Paula Deen recipes I’ve found yet:  Squash and Zucchini Cakes.   There were some mixed reviews on the website because people had trouble with the cakes falling apart during cooking.  There are a couple of essential things you need to do to make this recipe work:  1) squeeze out every possible drop of water from the squash and zucchini before you mix them with the other ingredients; and, 2) add another egg to the cake mixture before cooking to help the cakes bind together better.

I found that the best way to remove the excess water from the grated squash and zucchini was to wring it out in a towel.  I got rid of at least a cup of water this way.

Here’s what the “batter” for the cakes looked like before I formed the cakes in the pan and fried them.

I was making these for a party and wanted them to be bite-sized, so I used less of the squash mixture than the recipe called for.  It’s important to have the pan good and hot when you put the cakes in, so they brown well.  The cakes can be fragile when you’re working with them in the pan.  I put little teaspoon-sized dollops in the pan and flattened them out a little.  After I flipped them over, I flattened them out a little more to make sure they cooked through.

It helps to drain the cooked cakes on paper towels.  I seasoned them with a little salt at this point.  These definitely taste best hot, straight from the stove.  I attempted to make them a day ahead of time for a party, refrigerating them overnight and reheating them in a 350 degree oven.  They reheated ok, but cooled off quickly and they just aren’t as good at room temperature.  Same thing with the ones I froze.  They’ll do in a pinch, but not ideal.

These cakes are great served with marinara sauce as suggested in Paula Deen’s recipe!

Reader's Comments

1. 

   thanks for the info. I am making them tonight. they look and sound so good. thanks again
2. noritae on 26 Apr 2012 12:54 pm