I don’t make desserts very often, but this is an exception! I have made this cake three times — using the excuse that I “forgot” to take pictures — because it is a winner of a recipe! The cake has a nice depth of chocolate flavor, probably due to the addition of a small amount of coffee in the recipe, and a terrific moist texture from the zucchini. I will admit that I have frozen a few slices, to enjoy later, as a special mid-winter treat. I hope they last that long in my freezer!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Ingredients
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 scant cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbl strong, cooled coffee
3 large eggs
2 cups shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla, coffee and eggs, mixing well to combine.
Stir in the zucchini and add the flour mixture, saving a small amount of flour mixture to mix with the chocolate chips. Stir well, and then mix the chocolate in with the reserved flour mixture, and add to the other ingredients.
Coating the chocolate chips with the flour mixture prevents the chips from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
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Serving suggestion: Serve, often, to husband and to growing grandson. They both need to eat their vegetables!
