Monday Menu: Zucchini Chocolate Cake

I was looking for a Zucchini Chocolate Cake recipe and one of the food bloggers I follow posted one a few days later. Kismet or zucchini overload?

I followed the recipe, but I might make a few changes next time.

Here is the original recipe. My changes are at the bottom:

Catherine’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Have ingredients at room temperature, grease and flour a Bundt pan, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ½ cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Droste)
• 1 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee (my addition)
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup shortening, coconut oil, or butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 cups grated zucchini with their liquid
• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the shortening and sugar until the fat is crumbly.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat them until fluffy and well mixed.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. It will be too thick for the mixer, so stir it in by hand with a wooden spoon.

Once thoroughly mixed, add the zucchini and mix it all in. It will be very thick, but yes, it will mix.

Add the milk and vanilla and blend.

Pour it into the prepared pan, and let it stand for ten minutes before baking.

Bake for 50-60 min. Test for doneness at 50 min.

Letcoolin the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a pretty plate.

Optional glaze:  To 1/3 cup powdered sugar, add milk or lemon juice to desired consistency, one tablespoon at a time. Drizzle over the top of warm cake, letting it run down the sides.

I used confectioners and dark rum, and it was really, really good.

 

Click here for the that recipe and more from The New Vintage Kitchen:

There were two changes I would make. First, I would substitute 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (or shredded apple) for the milk. And second, I would add the applesauce and vanilla before the zucchini.

Other than that, an excellent recipe that everyone I shared it with enjoyed (much like zucchini, this is a LOT of cake and was hand-delivered to several neighbors, LOL).