Chocolate Zucchini Cake 22/325

Ibby & Paul in Pauline Green

The Relation

Ibby Brennan would be my first cousin, twice removed. She passed away at 99 years old just a few weeks ago and I am quite sad that I never got to meet her. My dad told me that she was just the best person at responding and communicating with people. If you wrote Ibby a letter, you would surely be getting a response.

The Process

Before I start, I want everyone to know ahead of time that I really messed up with the pan sizing. More on this later.

Alright, Zucchini cake!!! I know I am out here making all of these super unhealthy (but oh-so-delicious) recipes, but I am typically a pretty health-conscious person. I’m all about shoving vegetables into sweets, so this is right up my alley. Also, who doesn’t like chocolate?? (Climbing Pal Brooke actually hates chocolate, but we try not to hold that against her).

Not the cutest

For those of you not sure how many zucchini you should collect for this recipe, it’s approximately two and a half. I used the bigger side of my grater for the “coarsely grated” style called for. Other notes on this recipe: I used butter instead of margarine, walnuts instead of pecans, and 1% milk. I don’t think any of those things will make a huge impact. Unless someone’s allergic to walnuts.

Not going to lie, before you add the dry ingredients, the batter does not look so cute. Super grainy and green. After you add the dry ingredients? Absolutely beautiful. Smooth (besides the zucchini lumps), chocolatey, rich… everything you’re looking for in a vegetable cake.

Uhh, YUM?? 

Okay here’s where the trouble begins. The 10-inch tube pan. In my brain, I just assumed a tube pan would be just that: a tube.  A long, skinny, straight pan like you might bake a loaf of bread in. So, I looked in my cabinet, and voila! Found a long, skinny, straight pan that was almost exactly 10 inches long. It was a little rusty, so I lined it with some foil.

As I filled said pan, I was a little concerned about how it was pretty close to overflowing. But hey, some of these recipes aren’t that exact so I scooped a little of the batter out into a smaller loaf pan and tossed both into the oven. After 20 minutes, I knew I had made a mistake. Globs of chocolate cake were overflowing into the oven. My smoke alarm went off multiple times that night. My chocolate cake came out entirely deflated and covered in charred overflow.

Right before disaster struck

For those who don’t know, a tube pan is a round pan with a hole in the middle. Not unlike a bundt pan. I have since purchased one.

The Feedback

Despite the issues with the pan, the cake was pretty good! The smaller loaf pan I made came out perfectly. The cake is super moist and flavorful. You would never know there was zucchini in it! My Very Pregnant Boss was a big fan.

The Receipt

A little deformed, but AWESOME

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE - CC80
Ibby Brennan

2½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa
2½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp soda
1 tsp each salt and cinnamon
¾ cup soft butter or margarine
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp each vanilla and grated orange peel
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
½ cup milk

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smoothly blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Alternately stir in dry ingredients and milk, including nuts with last addition. Pour batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Great thinly sliced and spread with whipped cream cheese. Great for the freezer.