Chocolate Zucchini Cake

.

Last week we had our favorite priest over for dinner. I love having clergy join us for meals, but I admit it makes me a little nervous. Will the meal satisfy? Will the children make it through an evening without fighting? Or cursing? Luckily our favorite friendly priest is a high school classmate of my husband, and he loves my cooking, and would laugh out loud if someone did act up! It sure takes the heat off.

While he requested the dinner menu (pepperoni pizza and salad), I chose dessert. My sister-in-law gave me a enormous zucchini from her mother's garden and after two loaves of Cinnamon Zucchini Bread, I still had half of it left. I shredded the rest and used two cups in this cake, then placed the rest in a zipper bag and in the freezer-- I'll deal with it later.



This cake was fabulous. And the best part -- no one had a clue that there was zucchini hidden within (until my husband spilled the beans). Not a speck of green. It was moist and very chocolaty and wonderful. Every single bite was consumed.

The recipe I used came from Simply Recipes. I have never tried one of Elise's recipes before, but this one seemed pretty straightforward and other than risking green specks, I figured chocolate cake was chocolate cake. This was better than chocolate cake, only it was (almost) my little secret. I made it almost as posted, except I didn't have any oranges for the zest. I'm sure it would only be better with a hint of orange flavor. I also didn't include the nuts because of allergies. I used Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting to frost it, instead of white glaze, and made some creamy homemade vanilla ice cream for some lovely chocolate cake a la mode.

I intended to get a picture after I cut it so you could see there was no green, but before I knew it, it was gone.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 c. soft butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 t. grated orange peel
2 c. coarsely shredded zucchini
1/2 c. milk
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Glaze or Frosting (directions follow)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a ring pan or bundt.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini.

Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.

Pour the batter into pan. Bake in the oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Drizzle glaze over cake.

Glaze: Mix together 2 c. powdered sugar, 3 T. milk, and 1 t. vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Cut in thin (or thick!) slices to serve. Makes 10-12 servings.


Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 t. vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Sources: Simply Recipes
Hershey's

.

Pin It