ZUCCHINI! ZUCCHINI!! ZUCCHINI!!!

Yep, it's that time of year again - the time when many people are saying to themselves "Why did I plant so much zucchini??!! What was I thinking?" As we all know, once the zucchini starts to ripen there's just no stopping it, and even a small garden can produce more zucchini than friends and neighbors can eat. Eventually you just give up after cooking zucchini every possible way you know how. The freezer will be full of zucchini bread and bags of grated zucchini, just in case you need to make MORE zucchini in the middle of winter (doubtful).

As usual I'm probably the last one to come across this deliciously different way of using some of that zucchini - in a chocolate cake! I made this recipe below for our 4th of July celebration with friends and it seemed to be a big hit. I was pleased with how it turned out as well, which is equally important - if a recipe is too complicated or just doesn't deliver, I toss it immediately. This recipe's a keeper! I think you could just as easily bake it in a bundt pan or a 13" X 9" pan, or even in several smaller containers (mini bread pans?).


Chocolate & Zucchini Cake Serves 10


2 Cups/240 g all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup (110 g) butter, softened
1 Cup (160 g) light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules (the stronger the better)
3 eggs, at room temperature
2 Cups zucchini, unpeeled, grated (about 280 g, two medium)
1 Cup (170 g) chocolate chips

Topping
40 g light brown sugar
1/2 C (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 3 quart (3 L) springform cake pan, and flour it or sprinkle with cocoa powder; this is to help the cake unmold easily, especially if you're not using a non-stick pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In your food processor, combine the sugar and butter, and mix until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and espresso powder, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.

Spoon in the flour mixture, reserving the last half-cup of it. Mix thoroughly, the batter will be thick.

Add the grated zucchini and the chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture, and toss to coat. Fold in the batter, and blend thoroughly. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and flatten the surface with a spatula.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients, and sprinkle all over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out on a rack to cool for half an hour, then unmold.

I have to confess that I didn't use chocolate chips - they're too precious a commodity here, so I just broke up a semi-sweet bar of chocolate.