Recipe Time! Yum!

Today I felt like sharing a family favorite that may seem a little odd to some, but I assure you is quite delicious: Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Oh yes, you heard right, zucchini in the cake. And the best part? The kids have no idea they're eating a healthy dose of vegetables in every slice! All they taste is the chocolate, and that is fine by me. (;

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup apple sauce (may substitute veg. oil)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 egg

1teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (May substitute with 2 cups all-purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour if desired. Add 2 extra tablespoons apple sauce if so.) 

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk (I've also used regular milk in a pinch and it works out fine, although the flavor is slightly different)

2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, apple sauce, and sugar in a large bowl. Add zucchini, egg, and vanilla and blend until moistened. Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet alternately with buttermilk. Pour in a 9" by 13" sheet cake pan, and sprinkle top of batter with chocolate chips, or if desired pour in a 10 inch tube pan or bunt cake pan and save chocolate chips to melt and create a pour over glaze after baking. Bake 40 to 45 minutes and cool completely, or serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.