Brooke's Zucchini Recipes!

These are Dayton's favorite Zucchini recipes. Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) vegetable oil (or unsweetened apple sauce. I like this the best because it's healthier and makes the cake extra moist).
1 2/3 cups (12 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Greek yogurt or sour cream. (I usually use vanilla yogurt just because it's what I have on hand).
2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounce) Dutch-process cocoa
2 1/2 to 3 cups shredded zucchini (about one 10-inch zucchini –  12 ounces)
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips

Chocolate Ganache Topping
6 oz heavy cream
9 oz chopped chocolate (semi-sweet or milk). I use semi sweet just because it is pretty rich.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9″ x 13″ pan with baking spray

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until each is incorporated.

3. Stir in the sour cream or yogurt alternately with the flour, starting and ending with the flour. Stir in the cocoa, mixing until smooth. Finally, fold in the zucchini and 1 cup of chocolate chips.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack. (I usually have to bake mine for over an hour. It seems like it takes 75 minutes or so, but I check it every five after an hour and I do it on 375).

5. To prepare the frosting, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 3-5 minutes then stir to combine. It may take a few minutes of stirring for the ganache to come together… but it will.  It will thicken as it cools… when warm (but not hot) pour over cake and smooth with offset spatula. Allow frosting to set for about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups zucchini, washed and dried, ends and stems removed, cut in half lengthwise and seeded, and grated
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 20 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2.In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, allspice and cinnamon; set aside.
3.In a medium bowl whisk together the sugar, butter and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until combined. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini and chocolate chips. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
4.Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and muffin tops are springy to the touch, 20 to 24 minutes; rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Yields: 20 standard muffins

***Mine usually makes around 24 muffins. I cook it for 10 mins at  400 and then 10 minutes at 350.  I think it helps the muffins "poof" up. 

Zucchini Bread

2 1/2 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

2 eggs

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. oil

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Mix wet ingredients.  Mix dry ingredients and add to wet.  Stir well. Pour into greater loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour at 350.