Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Well it was my mums birthday and none of my sisters could come celebrate with her except me. She thought we would probably do some kind of party since it was her “elderly” birthday party. (There is a definite story behind that. When my Grammie turned seventy she wrote in her journal that it was the worst birthday ever because once you turned seventy you were considered “elderly” and she didn’t want to be “elderly”. —But of course I did not tell you guys my mums age! ;))

My sisters said it wasn’t super convenient to come up from Utah, but they would if we did something big. The closest sister couldn’t Friday night, her actual birthday, but maybe Saturday. It just sounded super difficult that weekend. So I decided I would invite some of my mums friends and have a family party later when it was easier to get everyone here.

Well I was planning on it being a surprise, but I couldn’t make that happen! I didn’t know who to invite and how to even find most of them! Finally I decided it would be easier to ask her and let her help. So I did and she loved the idea! It was really fun and they all want to do it again!! I was so glad that she had a good day to celebrate.

The funniest part of the day was the night before we had made a chocolate zucchini cake. After baking it, I flipped it out onto my pretty cake plate. But the bottom stuck to the pan and only the top fell out! I called mum the next morning and said we needed to make a new one! And Pronto! She said it was fine and just dump the rest on top and put the frosting on. It looked awful! I was sooo embarrassed. I was trying to refuse to take it, but we didn’t have time to make another one…. and it sure tasted delicious anyway! So finally she persuaded me that her friends didn’t mind anyway. Mum also made the joke that the cake fell apart just like her 🙂 Hopefully you have more luck pulling the cake out than I did, but regardless it is one of the best cakes I have ever had!… plus it’s healthy! I sure hope you enjoy!

Cake

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, buttermilk, or yogurt
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup King Arthur All-Purpose Baking Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa (I prefer dutch as it gives it a deeper rich flavor. But that could also be because I add extra ;))
2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional but tasty
3 cups shredded zucchini (about one 10″ zucchini)*
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees f. For about 30 minutes (if in a bundt pan like mine. Less time for square pans or sheet cakes. But just test with a toothpick or your finger.)

Icing

1- 1 1/3cup chocolate chips tips from our bakers.
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) half & half or cream for thicker creamier icing
In the microwave or on the stove top, combine 1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) chocolate chips and 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) half & half, heating until the chocolate softens. Stir to melt the chocolate, and spread over the completely cooled cake. Fat-free half & half is fine; as is liquid coffee creamer — try different flavors for a tasty twist.

Don’t worry about espresso powder giving this cake any coffee flavor; it’s there strictly to enhance the cake’s deep-dark chocolate taste, which it does admirably.