When I was home visiting my parents, my aunt, uncle, and cousins from NYC spoiled us and came up to visit. We spent lovely days downhill skiing, but as with any Ford reunion, eating good food was a given. Clearly then, chocolate zucchini cake was scheduled on the menu, a cake loved by all members of our family. My mother baked the cake, and my sister and cousin Daniel expertly iced it. We were 8 for dinner: only one piece survived the meal!
I first remember making this cake with my grandmother, using zucchini picked fresh from her vegetable garden in Edmonton. Since then, I have eaten it countless times (a staple at family reunions/birthdays/potlucks). Without fail, it always delights everyone, including those picky eaters who otherwise would never dream of touching a zucchini.
This is a top-secret Ford family chocolate zucchini cake recipe, and when baked a synonym for heaven. Gently spiced with cinnamon and cloves and perfectly moist from the zucchini, this chocolate cake with a mocha-chocolate icing is indulgent!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
(According to my sister, it makes just enough servings for just her. If she isn’t around, then this cake serves 16 generous slices)
Ingredients:
Cake:
½ cup vegetable oil* (canola oil or other mild)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ generous teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
2 ½ cups unsifted flour
2 cups grated zucchini (be on the generous rather than stingy side)
¼ cup (or more) chocolate chips
½ cup sour cream
Icing:
3ish tablespoons butter
3 or 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons of cold coffee (the stronger, the tastier)
A lot of icing sugar
Directions:
Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the oil and sugar together, before beating in the eggs and vanilla. Incorporate the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves, before adding the flour bit by bit. The batter at this point will be quite thick. Add in the zucchini, followed by the chocolate chips and sour cream, and your batter should be pourable.
Pour batter into a greased pan, best is either a Bundt or a 9×13 inch pan. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour; remove from oven when a toothpick comes out cleanish (if you hit a chocolate chip, it will be an oozing chocolaty delicious toothpick). Allow cake to cool.
Icing:
Cream together butter, cocoa powder, and coffee. Incorporate icing sugar until chocolate-mocha icing is thick, yet spreadable.
When cake is coolish, remove from pan. Smother with chocolate-mocha icing and decorate further as desired. Delicious suggestions include raspberries and/or icing sugar!
– Catherine
BUT THE MAGIC TRICK IS TO HAVE YOUR SISTER AND COUSIN MAKE IT
For sure – you do know that the secret ingredient in this recipe is love?
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