Sep 9
2009

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

in Uncategorized

Forever ago, my friend Dana (author of Old Red Barn Co.) emailed me and asked if I'd ever had chocolate zucchini bread before.  I totally don't remember the context of the question anymore (do you Dana?), but I responded that no, I hadn't, that I'd only ever had/made regular zucchini bread before and to send me a recipe STAT!  She pointed me in the direction of the recipe she always uses and then I got busy and I never got around to making it.  The thought of chocolate zucchini bread has been nagging at me ever since, and despite my efforts to push those thoughts away (yeah right!), I just can't.  So about a week ago when I had extra zucchini from the farmer's market I knew it was time. 

I went and found the recipe, printed it out and then sat down to plan.  I seem to be incapable of leaving a recipe "as is" and so as I read through the recipe my mind started to work overtime and that's when I decided I would make a cake instead.

The thing I LOVE about adding carrots/zucchini is how moist baked items turn out.  This cake is no exception.  It is rich and moist and plenty chocolaty.

 
 

Plus, you can tell yourself that it's a vegetable dish when you go to have seconds.

We ate ours with ice cream, but I also enjoyed a piece with some chocolate ganache one afternoon.  Either way, it's time to eat your veggies!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

 

Makes 1 standard size bundt cake

6 Tbsp. cocoa
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini, packed
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly grease bundt pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine cocoa, butter, and sugar.  Add eggs, oil, grated zucchini, and vanilla; beat well.  Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Place chocolate chips in sifter and toss with a bit of flour (sifting off the excess) (this is to help your chocolate chips from all sinking to the bottom of the cake batter once your cake is in the oven).

4. Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.

5. Bake in preheated oven for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.

6. Let cool for several minutes, then unmold cake onto cake plate to finish cooling.

** Have you taken the pop quiz yet? It's not too late! Comments will be open until tomorrow (Thursday, September 10, 2009) at 10pm PST.  I'll announce the winners and the answers on Friday!

{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }

Hilda September 9, 2009 at 4:03 pm

OMG, look at mini-you! Hilarious. And chocolate and zucchini cake/bread is something I've tried a couple of times and never been able to make a version that tasted good, not even Clotilde's which came out disgusting, no idea why, so I stay away from le chocolat et la courgette ensemble, lol.

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Barbara Bakes September 9, 2009 at 4:15 pm

I love the idea of making it in a bundt pan instead of loaves! Your daughter is adorable!

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Jennifer September 9, 2009 at 5:14 pm

Your little girl is precious!!!! This cake sounds amazing!

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Fuji Nana September 9, 2009 at 6:59 pm

I've never heard of tossing the chocolate chips with flour. What a great idea! Please put a piece in the freezer for me. I think my face will look just like Squirrel's when I take a bite!

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Nila Rosa September 9, 2009 at 7:32 pm

awww..she's so cute!Her face is priceless.

I've been thinking of making a zucchini cake lately.I always use it up for steamed veggies before I get a chance to tho.

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Mary September 9, 2009 at 7:46 pm

What a sweet assistant and taster you have. Your cake looks wonderful and I love that you made it in a bundt pan. I can only imagine how good this tastes.

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Peggy Bourjaily September 9, 2009 at 8:22 pm

Moist chocolate cake is so difficult to achieve. I'll have to try this out. Topped with chocolate ganache looks divine!

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K and S September 9, 2009 at 11:03 pm

I have a zucchini in my fridge, I may have to try this :)

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Jen September 9, 2009 at 11:12 pm

Your daughter is ADORABLE!! I think you need to take more of those kinds of photos of her ready to take a bite and put it in a scrapbook. You may need leverage for the wild teenage years! :)

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tokyoterrace September 10, 2009 at 2:46 am

Holy criminy! That looks AMAZING! I love zucchini bread and this looks waaaaay better. Thank god I can bake now, because this is going to be on the top of my list! YUM! And your daughter is gorgeous. Great post!

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tracieMoo September 10, 2009 at 4:28 am

Owh yum! they look so chocolaty.. I got so excited just by looking at it! I'm sure your daughter did too. She's so adorable!

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Jenn September 10, 2009 at 8:12 am

This sounds so good. I found your blog through my friend Rachael (the blogger behind http://www.tokyoterrace.com.) I'm really excited to try some of your recipes.

I'm spending this weekend with my in-laws and have lots of zucchini from my garden. I'd like to make this cake but I don't have a bunt cake pan. Will it work in any old pan? Also, I know some people peel their zucchinis before grating them. What's your advice on this?

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Frieda September 10, 2009 at 8:19 am

Great minds think alike…I, too, have a similar recipe that I use in my bundt. Instead of tossing the chips in flour, I use sugar. We grease the bundt and coat it with sugar, which adds a crispy crunch that I think is way better than frosting. Just remember to invert the pan right out of the oven, or the sugar will melt….

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Fearless Kitchen September 10, 2009 at 8:29 am

This looks delicious! I'd never seen zucchini and chocolate together before.

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Dana September 10, 2009 at 2:07 pm

Ah!!!!! How great that you made it!!! Our zucchini have been done with for quite awhile but while they were in season we made a ton of this cake.

Now that it has been featured on La Fuji Mama I feel like it has been legitimized. :)

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Emily September 10, 2009 at 7:29 pm

My most favorite chocolate cake is actually my chocolate zucchini cake. It's absolutely the best. I also make chocolate zucchini muffins, but totally differently, without the chocolate chips, less chocolate, and lots of cardamom. Yummssss. I love zucchini.

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Emily September 10, 2009 at 7:30 pm

Oh, I think I should go make some now. I mean, I haven't for like a WEEK! What am I thinking?

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eatlivetravelwrite September 10, 2009 at 7:50 pm

Delicious, as usual! Love the expression on Squirrel's face!

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Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction September 10, 2009 at 9:13 pm

Mmm… Looks very tasty! What a perfect way to eat veggies. :) I love the pictures of Squirrel… so cute!

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tokyoterrace September 11, 2009 at 8:34 am

OK- I just made this recipe (in muffin form vs. bundt cake) and I can attest to the fact that it is amazing! You all must try it!

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Fuji Mama September 11, 2009 at 8:57 am

Jenn– I wouldn't use a regular cake pan. A regular cake pan sometimes will not let the cake cook through in the middle without burning the edges. You can cook this instead in 2 loaf pans! I have never peeled a zucchini before cooking it, but I do make sure to cut a good chunk off each end (I find the ends to be a bit more bitter sometimes). I hope that helps!

tokyoterrace– You just made my day! :)

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jbramman September 13, 2009 at 5:30 pm

Hi!

Just wanted to let you know I made this today and both of my daughters (Jinjer, 15 & Jasmine, 8) LOVED it!!

I deviated a little bit–I was out of chocolate chips so I used chocolate candy melts. I also rough chopped a cup of pecans and mixed these together with the melts and some flour before adding it to the mix.

The cake is totally moist on the inside with a satisfying crunch on the outside–thanks for sharing, I don't think I'd ever have thought to add zucchini to a chocolate cake! Delicious!!

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Fuji Mama September 19, 2009 at 9:12 am

jbramman– Thank you so much for letting me know! I'm so glad you and your daughters enjoyed it. Mmmm, love that you added pecans–I love pecans in cakes and cookies!

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Linda W.hite August 14, 2010 at 8:01 am

First, I am not a baker but I grew a garden this year and have a lot of zucchini so I have been experimenting. I made this cake and WOW it tastes awesome!! However, I had one problem, it stuck to the bundt pan and came out looking horrible (no one hear minds, they are just happy to have sweets even if it looks ugly). Since I don’t bake much I was wondering if I should have adjusted the recipe at all for high altituded, we are at 5500 ft. I greased the pan enough and it appears to be cooked through all the way, it just stuck. I want to make it again, and I saw maybe trying loaf pans (which I may try) but thought I would ask your opinion

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KimC July 20, 2011 at 7:46 pm

I tried this recipe and LOVE it! I shared it with family and friends, and we couldn’t get enough of it! I highly recommend it. It’s delicious and unique. Thanks for posting the recipe!

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Serena October 28, 2011 at 3:08 pm

Do you have a chocolate ganache recipe you could share? Thanks!

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fujigrandma January 15, 2013 at 1:48 pm

I’m gong to try mine in a tube pan. I love your suggestion about flouring the chips. Cocoa might also work and deepen the flavor. Cooking is such a creative activity and you are egging me on. I love it, and you.

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Wendy T. June 7, 2013 at 9:33 pm

This was a wonderful cake! Thank you! We didn’t realize that we had a GIANT zucchini on our plant and we got cups of shredded zucchini out of it. I changed nothing and plan on making it for people at work….both hubby’s and mine. I did use duck eggs, as we have lots of ducks in the back yard and they always make a yummy cake! Thanks again!

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Fuji Mama (Rachael) June 11, 2013 at 11:42 am

I’m so glad you enjoyed it Wendy! I find that those giant zucchini are best suited for a cake like this! I have never baked with duck eggs, and now you have me dying to try!

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