Chocolate Zucchini Cake

All of the sudden, it is raining zucchinis in our garden at Twin Sisters Farm. Every day and every meal, I am trying to come up with creative ways to incorporate more zucchini into our bellies. I have made zucchini/chard enchiladas, two types of zucchini bread, and will attempt to make Smitten Kitchen's zucchini and ricotta galette this weekend. So far in the battle of the zucchini, the chocolate zucchini cake has been the victor. I first made a healthy version using plain yogurt and vegetable oil. Then, Jill Mason raised the stakes with this super moist and addicting version which uses milk and a healthy dose of butter. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients:

2.5 c flour

0.5 c cocoa powder

2.5 t baking powder

1.5 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1.5 sticks (3/4 c) butter, softened

2 c sugar

3 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 t orange zest

2 c shredded zucchini

0.5 c milk (I used a mixture of buttermilk and soymilk.)

1 c chopped nuts (I skipped this.)

- Preheat oven to 350.

- Combine flour, cocoa, bkg powder, bkg soda, salt, cinnamon; set aside.

- In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla, orange zest, and zucchini with a spoon.

- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk into wet ingredients. Add nuts at end if using.

- Pour batter into a bundt pan that has been greased and dusted with flour.

- Bake for about 50 minutes, until tooth pick comes out clean.

- Cool in pan for 15 minutes before continuing to cool on a wire rack. Yum!