A Taste of Alaska: Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Around the first of August, everyone is very careful to lock their cars in Fairbanks. No, we don't have a rash of break-ins or car jackings, we have zucchini. The days are long, the zucchini grows, and grows, and grows. If you are careful and cut your zucchini when they are small, you are usually o.k., but skip one day (or week, in my case), and you have monster zucchinis that overtake your garden.

I do love zucchini, I make zucchini tarts, shred it and put it in muffins, ribbon it into salads, slice it for stir fry, and bread it with panko and Parmesan cheese and bake it. I'm sure I'll share all these recipes with you and then some. But, when one goes wild and it is just too big to slice and cook, I'll shred it and make chocolate zucchini cake. I am trying to increase my veggie intake.

Zucchini plants in the first planter. See the small yellow summer squash hanging on the side?

I got this recipe from my grandma McFadden. It is an easy one, where you mix a few things together, top with chocolate chips and bake. It doesn't need frosting with the chocolate chips on top and it has a deep chocolate flavor thanks to the cocoa powder. I'll freeze extra shredded zucchini so I can make this all winter. And considering the fact that all my neighbors know to lock their cars, I'll have plenty to freeze.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
from Grandma McFadden

For Cake:
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. oil
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. yogurt
2 1/2 c. flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cup zucchini, grated

Top with:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
6 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 c. nuts

Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour into prepared 13x9"pan. Top with sugar, chocolate chips, and nuts. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.