Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Creamy Icing

Our loyal groundhog friend did not see his shadow this February, which could only mean one thing: this dreadful white blanket of cold, accompanied by running noses and excessively high heating bills isalmost over. To celebrate the welcoming of the second most beautiful season (summer being the 1st, of course), I decided to bake a cake using a very versatile legume, Zucchini. I know many of you probably cringed at the thought of including zucchini in your desert. But I promise, for those of you who have a vegetable phobia or believe that mixing your veggies with your sweets is a major faux-pas, you will be surprised at the subtleness of this special ingredient. I myself was shocked at how discrete the zucchini is (no joke, you could not even taste it!) and I can honestly say that this is my new fave chocolate cake recipe. 

 I just had to make this a double chocolate-y cake with my all time favorite chocolate cream cheese icing. This recipe is super fast and beats any out of the box recipes, and what a smart use of leftover zucc’s! Don’t wait for a “special event” to try this one out. Bake it tonight and enjoy a slice (or two) while watching another brainless episode of Jersey Shore! ;)

Xo
Dom Appetit!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Creamy Icing
taken from: all recipes

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins

Tools Needed: medim mixing bowl, measuring cups & spoons, hand mixer, food processor or cheese grater, 9x13 baking dish or 3 round pie pans

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (you can replace 1 cup of oil with applesauce)

3 cups grated zucchini

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 baking dish.               

2) In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix in the eggs and oil. Fold in zucchini until it is evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared baking dish.              

3) Bake for 45 to 55 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
taken from:food canada

Prep Time: 10 mins

Tools Needed: hand mixer, measuring spoons & cups, medium mixing bowl

Ingredients:

3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup cream cheese, room temperature

24 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups icing sugar, sifted

2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted

Directions:

1) Beat butter and cream cheese on high speed, scraping sides frequently, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add melted chocolate. Add vanilla, salt, icing sugar and cocoa and beat until smooth. This makes a copious amount of icing so I suggest that you cut the recipe in half.