Chocolate Zucchini Cake

At this time of year everyone seems to have zucchini coming out of their ears. My crisper drawers are full to the top with the suckers. I love to eat them sautéed in olive oil with some onions and garlic, but let’s face it; you can only eat so much of them that way.

I’m a little zucchini OD’d.

I’ve made my Chocolate Zucchini bread a few times already, once making it into loaves and once making it into big muffins.

I needed a little change.

So I wandered around the world wide web. Googled zucchini recipes.

Pondered over a few and then….I saw it…..

Cake

That’s what I haven’t done with zucchini before.

Make cake.

So I did and what a cake it was. This was just as good as any decadent chocolate cake that I have made in the past. It's birthday party worthy.

What I love about zucchini in any baked good is that it gives it such great moisture.

This recipe was so delicious and moist that you would never, ever think there was 2 cups of zucchini in it.

You can peel the zucchini before shredding it, but I never do. I love the green specks.



Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Bon Appetit, November 1995

2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup applesauce instead)
2 large eggs
1 teasoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 ½ medium)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional, I left them out)

Oven to 325.

Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or a bundt pan. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & salt into a medium bowl. Beat the sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Mix in the dry ingredient alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Mix in grated zucchini. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan.