Zucchini Chocolate Cake


Test the limits of healthy ingredients with this delicious "good carb" cake.  My kids asked for thirds (I did not tell them the secret ingredient until afterwards).













Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes
Yield:   1 cake, 12+ servings

INGREDIENTS
2 small or one large zucchini squash (enough to yield about 2 cups when processed)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 cup sugar equivalent (I used Truvia)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1 stick (8 TB) butter, melted
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup 60% dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Using a food processor equipped with the fine shredding disk, shred the zucchni and place in a colander in the sink to drain for a few minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then stir in the sour cream, melted butter, agave nectar, and vanilla.  Scrape the egg mixture into the flour, and mix with a rubber spatula.  Stir in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.

Scrape your cake batter into the baking dish, slide into the oven, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake is delicious with whipped cream as dessert at the end of the day.  And it's tempting to enjoy with coffee at the beginning of the day.

Tip:  Stevia-based sweeteners vary in sweetness, and most are much sweeter than sugar.  So when using in a recipe you might need to calculate how much is equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar.  Another option, available at Whole Foods, is a sweetener based on hardwoods called Xyla.  Don't ask, I can't explain how it's made.  But it does appear to be a more natural product than conventional artificial sweeteners.

Tip:  A bundt pan also works well with this cake - it will cook faster - check it at 35 minutes.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

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