Monday, July 9, 2018

Double Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Cake for a Crowd



One of the problems with a food blog is that I rarely make a really great recipe repeatedly because, well, I've already posted it. I'm always looking for new recipes. But this time, I'm revisiting a recipe that we loved and everyone wanted again. But I turned it on it's head a little bit by making enough to share.

Our zucchinis are coming in fast and thick. This is the time of year when you're thrilled to use the zucchinis that hid from you and grew a little bit too big. This recipe uses three cups of shredded zucchini, which equates to one large zucchini. If you don't have a garden (or a neighbor with one), buy a couple of ordinary zucchinis to make this cake.

I love that the food processor speeds up this recipe. Of course, you don't have to have one. You can shred the zucchini and finely chop the walnuts by hand.

This isn't a super sweet cake. You'll note that it doesn't have a frosting, either. It's very chocolatey, though, and the flavor of the walnuts is strong. I recommend serving it with ice cream or whipped cream.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Cake

1 9x13 baking pan

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts
3 cups shredded zucchini, one large zucchini or two small
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee
3 teaspoons warm water
1 tablespoon vanilla
12 tablespoons unsalted butter + extra for greasing pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cups chocolate chips
powdered sugar
whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350. Grease pan with butter.

In a food processor, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and walnuts. Pulse until walnuts are so fine they have disappeared. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Replace blade with shredding disk in the food processor. Shred the zucchini. Set aside. Krista's hint: Take 30 seconds to rinse the parts of the food processor so you don't have to soak them later.

Dissolve the coffee in the warm water. Add the vanilla. Cream the butter with the sugars, and beat in the eggs and yolk. Add the coffee mixture and beat. Add the flour mixture one heaping quarter cup at a time on medium speed. After every few additions of flour, increase the speed to high to combine before adding more flour at medium speed. Stir in the zucchini and the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes. The middle shouldn't wobble too much and the top will have puffed up and cracked. Cool on a baking rack.

To serve, dust each piece with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Before walnuts are incorporated.

Walnuts have disappeared!


Shred zucchini.
 
Add zucchini to batter.

After baking.





7 comments:

  1. I hope I get my family's surplus zucchini. I love the combination of chocolate and walnuts and the added moisture from the zucchini.

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  2. My spousal unit, just yesterday, commented that he hopes we get lots of zucchini this year so I can make zucchini bread. "And I'll even go to the store to get you whatever you need." The man does love him my zucchini bread!

    pjcoldren[at]tm.net

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  3. Ah, the chameleon zucchini! Many years ago, a friend and I were talking with a third friend who really wanted to open a bakery in Berkeley, so Friend #1 and I put our heads together and made up a list of healthy cakes and breads to suit the neighborhood--of course zucchini bread was on the list. Wonder if I saved those recipes somewhere? (Friend #2 ended up opening a motorcycle shop instead.)

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  4. What an impressive color the cake is!
    Zucchini is so sneaky. Today they are an inch or two long, tomorrow they are baseball bat size.

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  5. Krista, what can I substitute for the nuts since I'm allergic? ~ Daryl

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  6. I'm not a big fan of frosting, so this cake is perfect.

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  7. Thanks for the recipe. I always forget how much I like zucchini bread, cake . . . and chocolate, say no more!

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