Yummy Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

It is summer and this cake is the best way to eat your veggies! Super chocolate cake and rich glaze makes this a family favorite. Easy preparation too! Besides a package of chips and a zucchini or two, it uses most ingredients found in your kitchen. Make this yummy chocolate delight!

Yummy Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Yield: 15 – 18 pieces

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups zucchini, grated
3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil
** light version use ½ cup oil and ¼ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
¾ cup milk, low fat
1 ¼ cup cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup Ghirardelli 60% cacao or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Glaze:

½ cup butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk, low fat
1 cup Ghirardelli chips, remainder of package from above
1 teaspoon vanilla
Extra chocolate chips or garnish of choice

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4-5 tablespoons milk or half & half

Equipment needed:

Dry and liquid measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Food processor or box grater
Cutting board
Serrated or chef knife
Rubber spatula
Stand up or hand mixer
Large mixing bowl, if using a hand mixer
13 x 9 baking pan
Medium sauce pan

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Since I picked 4 zucchinis from the garden this week, I figured I better repost this amazing recipe! I was asked to make it for a birthday party last week... a chocolate lovers dream. Reduced fat options too reduces the calories of this nutrient packed dessert!. So eat your cake and improve your health! Kind of a win-win! Check your pantry and let's bake!!

In the summer I always have a huge crop of zucchini and often freeze it grated. Zucchini is a great vegetable to use in cakes, breads and many baked goods. As it bakes it creates moisture which improves the texture of your final product too. I even use it in pasta sauces to sneak in extra vegetables into my family's diet. It disappears so you don’t even notice it's there! I don't peal my zucchini. Kind of up to you, but the peels have extra fiber and in chocolate goodies you don't see the green either. If using a food processor, cut the zucchini into strips and then cube to ensure easier processing. If grating, leave the zucchini whole as it is easier to hold on to during the grating process. Make the final product fine so it dissolves into your cake.

Next you will be adding ingredients a few at a time and blending well to create your cake batter. Place zucchini and eggs into the bowl of mixer and blend well on low speed until creamy yellow, green in color. Next add vegetable oil, and applesauce if making the low fat version. Blend well on medium low speed to incorporate oil. I usually don't use applesauce to substitute for all of the oil in a baked good, as I find the baked goods lack flavor and the result is quite dense.

Next it's time to add the leavening agents, spices and milk. Some recipes will have you combine all the dry ingredients together before adding. I feel this creates another bowl to clean, especially when everything is added together in the end anyway. Mix ingredients using medium low speed for 30 seconds or until spices are not visible. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add sugar and cocoa powder next. Sugar is considered a liquid ingredient in baking as it dissolves into other liquids present. Mix on medium low speed again until you have a creamy mixture resembling chocolate syrup.

Last step in the mixing process… adding the flour. When measuring flour make sure to use a scoop or spoon to place flour into the cup and level using a knife, not scoop cup into flour and shake it off. Doing the later step packs the flour into the cup and creates a dry final product. (** Refer to Easy Powdered Sugar Cookies for the detailed baking tips.) Remember… baking is a science and exact measurement is important!

Prepare 13 x 9 baking pan by spraying the pan well with vegetable oil spray or rubbing the surface with softened butter or vegetable oil.

Pour batter into greased baking pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula to ensure corners are covered. Measure out ~ ½ of package of chocolate chips = 1 cup and sprinkle evenly over surface of batter. Place into preheated 325 F oven on center rack. Be sure to push the cake towards the back of the oven where the heat is, too.

Bake cake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out relatively clean. If a few crumbs stick it is done. Cakes will continue to bake when taken out of the oven as they cool, so don't over bake and wind up with a dry cake. I love this cake moist and a bit gooey with the chips. As the cake rises the chips will sink into the batter and provide a bit of a chewy chocolate surprise as you take a bite! Allow cake to cool for about 20 – 30 minutes before adding glaze/ frosting to surface. If you prefer to serve without glaze or frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar will finish the cake off too. I prefer the fudgy frosting myself = yum!

Glaze:

This is where the double chocolate comes in… the chocolate glaze! The glaze will be prepared on the stove top and can be made when you place the cake in the oven. This will allow time to allow the glaze to cool and thicken. Place all glaze ingredients, using remainder of chips in bag, into a 1 - 1 ½ quart saucepan and place over medium low heat. Stir occasionally using a rubber spatula, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a low boil being sure to scrape sides of saucepan with spatula as you stir. The edges will heat faster and scraping will prevent the sugar in the glaze from burning. Don't want a burnt chocolate flavor… correct? This process can take a little while. Don't become impatient and turn up the heat. Once mixture starts a low boil, stir and boil for ONLY one minute, then turn off heat.

When mixture has boiled for one minute and heat is off, add vanilla. Because vanilla has alcohol, it may sizzle and spit when added, so be careful and add slowly and stir well.

After cake has cooled and is only a bit warm, and glaze is cooled and thickened, it is time to frost/ glaze your cake. Slowly pour glaze over center of cake and allow it to slowly run to does of pan. If cake or glaze are too warm the glaze will not stick to the cake surface and all of it will run to the edges.if this seems to be the case when you start to add glaze, stop and wait 5 – 10 minutes. I usually see where glaze has run on it's own and then add to the remaining holes. I then add the rest on the middle as this is usually where it is thinner. Garnish top of cake with additional chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts or whatever you desire. Allow cake to rest and glaze to firm for about 30 – 60 minutes… and dessert is ready. Easy to transport to your next summer gathering of family and friends... Enjoy!!

I don’t know about you, but frosting on cake is my favorite part! This super chocolaty frosting is perfect for this cake… I hope you agree. Place all the ingredients into a bowl or stand up mixer and whip together until smooth. Start with about 4 tablespoons of milk and then add more if too thick. Remember… you can always add more, but you can’t take it out if you add too much. If that does happen… add a bit more powdered sugar. Sprinkle a few more chips on top for garnish too… YUM… Enjoy!!