Decadent GF Chocolate Zucchini Cake

I never met a zucchini I didn’t like. I’ll grill them, relish them, pickle them and freeze them all season long. But at least once (or twice) a summer I’ll bake up a storm with them too. And over the years I’ve tried and loved many versions of zucchini breads and desserts- but I think I’ve settled on this as my favorite. Adding some fresh whipped cream and sour cherry sauce doesn’t hurt either…

I really do love zucchini, check out my previous articles Zucchini Relish + “A Zillion Ways to Zucchini”

Eat What You Grow

Cucurbit What?
All squash and zucchini are in the Cucurbit family (along with cucumbers, melons, gourds etc.) All zucchini are squash, but not all squash are zucchini…

Regardless, I’ve tested this recipe with all yellow summer squash, all green zucchini and even all very large patty pan. I might actually prefer the patty pan! Whatever kind you use, be sure to scoop out any large seeds and that ‘spongy’ area that forms when zucchini get away from us…

Dress it up or down
I have made this recipe in large and small loaf pans, as a double decker round birthday cake, and as muffins. So there are a few different timings- but really this recipe does well being baked in all these ways. For a fancy cake, I love raspberry, cherry or un-sweetened strawberries on top of whipped cream- maybe with a decadent chocolate cream cheese frosting layer in between, I mean you’ll already have the unsweetened cocoa on hand, just saying 😉

Kinds of chocolate – I prefer dark chocolate but my kids prefer the milk chocolate version. I love the way the melted dark chocolate deepens the color, and the flavor of this dessert. I have yet to try a semi-sweet version- but if you do, let me know! I’ve also tried to make this with more cocoa  powder and no melted chocolate, and it just isn’t the same…

There is magic in the mixer!
I got the idea for blending part of the zucchini from another sauce recipe that uses zucchini- and it really works for this- also adding an extra silkiness. Plus, you’ll have to use a blender to thoroughly mix in the melted chocolate chips- but don’t worry, since you have to melt the coconut oil anyway, it is just one streamlined step.

GF Chocolate Zucchini Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ C all purpose gluten free flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Flour)
• ¼ C natural cocoa powder (lots of options on Amazon and at your local co-op)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 C organic granulated sugar
• 2 C grated zucchini/squash, some water squeezed out
• 1/3 C coconut oil
• 1 C chocolate chips – divided in half (your choice, semi-sweet or dark)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  

DIRECTIONS

Shred Zucchini. Grease and powder your pans.

Mix dry ingredients together, making sure all the cocoa powder is well incorporated. Mix in 1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini so the dry ingredients coat the shreds.

Melt the coconut oil and ½ cup of chocolate chips and add to a blender base (like a ninja or nutria bullet). Add the eggs, vanilla, and the last ½ cup of zucchini and blend together well.

*You can skip the melt and blend step and add directly to the dry ingredients but it comes out smoother when blended.

Add wet ingredients and the rest chocolate chips (unless you want to save a few for the top) to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Spread into pan of choice (listed below).
Bake on center rack until that toothpick comes out clean: 
25 minutes- cupcakes
30 minutes for 5 small 3″x5″ loaf pans
35 minutes for 1 deep or 2 thin 9” rounds
50 minutes for 2 large 5″x9″loaf pans.

Leave pans for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool.

These don’t last long around our home, but I’d say to transfer this to the refrigerator after a day or two, since it is so dense and moist.

Dig In,

Michelle