Chocolate Zucchini Cake

 

At this time of year the farmer's markets have zucchini that are truly huge. What can you do with a 3 pound zucchini? This was the question I was asking myself as I searched the New York Times cooking app. I found an excellent recipe for zucchini bread, but also this one for zucchini cake. Why choose plain bread when you can have chocolate cake? The zucchini is a stealth ingredient that keeps the cake very moist. What I like about this recipe is that you use one bowl, and don't have to squeeze out the nutritious zucchini juices. The turbinado sugar topping adds a bit of crunch.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Makes one loaf
NYT Cooking

Cooking spray

2 large eggs

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup canola oil, or vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cups lightly packed finely grated zucchini

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tblsp turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and salt for 30 seconds until glossy and smooth. Add grated zucchini and mix with a rubber spatula.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a sifter and sift directly into the bowl with the zucchini mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined - don't overmix. Reserve one tablespoon of the chocolate chips and add the rest to the batter and stir again.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan (it may seem excessively wet, but have faith). Sprinkle the top with the reserved chocolate chips, pressing them in to make them stick, and the turbinado sugar. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out moist, but not wet.

Let loaf cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Lift the loaf out and let cool on the rack for 2 more hours before slicing.

This cake can also be made in a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan. In that case bake for 50-55 minutes,