Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Finally the bunny who used to eat up my baby zucchinis gave up or found some other house to fill his tummy. I got three zucchinis that I could pick.

I wanted to make something that is sweet and I did make zucchini halwa. Don't ever plan to make this for a gathering. One medium sized zucchini gave me about 4 - 5 TBSP of halwa which my kids happily ate. I couldn't even take a picture to write about that.

My second attempt in using these lovely zucchinis was this cake. I found the recipe on 'Chocolate & Zucchini' blog.
I did not change any part of the recipe. Since I didn't have a spring form pan and when I looked at how much batter it made, I got scared to use an 8 1/2 " square pan as she suggests. I didn't want to take the chance of batter overflowing in the oven and I poured it into a 9 X 13 pan and baked for 30 minutes. I probably should've used a       7 X 11 pan instead. Cake didn't raise full to the rim of the pan. But very moist and delicious cake.

Ingredients: (I have copied and pasted the ingredients from the source)
240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
60 grams (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
180 grams (1 scant cup) light brown sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar)
115 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, or 1/2 cup virgin olive oil (I used 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
350 grams (2 cups) unpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1 1/2 medium zucchini
160 grams (1 cup) good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate (I used semi sweet)
Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Method: (What I did)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 7 X 11 pan or a 10" spring form pan and keep aside. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder. In another bowl, beat oil, brown sugar. Add eggs and continue beating. Add vanilla. Stir the zucchini to the wet ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix. Do not over mix the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. I used 9 X 13 pan and it was baked at 30 minutes. Cool on the wire rack. When cool, either dust with confectioner's sugar or serve as is.

This cake bakes up pretty flat. You could even stack them to make layered cakes. Here is how it baked up.

Happy Baking!!