Zucchini and chocolate make dazzling cake duet

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Zucchini and chocolate make dazzling cake duet

Thursday, June 03, 1999

Zucchini -- it's plentiful, inexpensive, easy to grow and -- from appetizers to desserts -- it's delicious. Zucchini vary from 5 inches to a whopping 1 foot or longer, which is usually the home grown variety. The smaller zucchini are preferred because of their tenderness and thin skin.

Because of zucchini's high water content (95 grams) it doesn't freeze well, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to five days. A pound of zucchini will yield about 3 1/2 cups sliced or 4 cups grated.

As you may have guessed, zucchini is the main ingredient for today's recipes -- and as an added bonus, these zucchini cakes are made with chocolate.

Carol Ferry of Glenshaw requested a zucchini cake made with chocolate chips and instant chocolate pudding. We received a response from Nancy McKrell of Russellton using just the chocolate chips, and we found a recipe using chocolate pudding, so we thought we'd try them both. Both cakes turned out moist and full of rich chocolate flavor. Zucchini is readily available year-round, but mid summer is the time for local zucchini.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup oil 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup sour milk, or buttermilk 4 tablespoons cocoa 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 2 1/2 cups flour 2 cups finely diced (not shredded) zucchini

Cream together the butter, oil and sugar. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and sour milk. Then beat in the dry ingredients. Stir in the zucchini.

Pour mixture into greased and floured 13-by-9-inch pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over top. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.

Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 3 eggs 1 cup oil 3 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding 2 cups grated zucchini (do not peel) Sugar Glaze 1 tablespoon melted margarine 1 1/2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup powdered sugar

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar and pudding mix. Stir in grated zucchini. Add flour mix to bowl and beat to blend ingredients.

Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in 325-degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until tested done. Cool in pan for 30 minutes before inverting onto serving dish.

Glaze: In small mixing bowl, combine margarine, milk and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix to proper smooth consistency, adding more milk if needed.

Request

Does anyone have a recipe for barbecued boneless spare ribs? If you have this recipe please send it in for Mary Frances Smith of Bethel Park. This recipe ran in the Post-Gazette sometime in the summer of 1998.

-- By Arlene Burnett

If you want to answer a recipe request from a reader or are looking for a recipe yourself, please write to Kitchen Mailbox, c/o Arlene Burnett, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222. Please include a name, neighborhood and a daytime phone number. All recipes are kitchen-tested by the Post-Gazette.