Dark Chocolate Orange & Zucchini Cake
It is not Autumn really; it is zucchini season! Yes! That time of the year when we have nightmares of what to do with them. Now zucchini will take on the flavor of whatever you serve it with. In this recipe, no one can tell there is zucchini in it, with the added orange flavoring, it becomes an elevated dark chocolate cake.
The orange flavoring can be optional and you would replace the orange extract with vanilla in both the cake and frosting, but I suggest keeping it if you can. I bake this cake in a Bundt pan because it is pretty and easy to serve, but another pan would suit also, just change the time for baking accordingly.
This cakes lasts about a day in this household because people leave with pieces to bring in their lunches, or come back for more till there are only crumbs left.
INGREDIENTS:
Serves 8-12
FOR THE CAKE
2 cups sugar
¾ cup oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. orange flavored extract
2½ cups flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. salt
Zest of one large orange
½ cup milk
2¼ cups grated zucchini
FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1 stick soft butter (1/2 cup)
⅔ cup cocoa
3 cups powder sugar
⅓ cup milk
1 tsp. orange flavored extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325°.
Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, oil, and eggs together until creamy. Add in orange flavoring and mix until well combined.
In a smaller bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, nutmeg and salt together with a small whisk just to blend everything together. Add flour mixture with wet ingredients mixture. Mix well. Slowly mix in the milk.
After everything is well combined, stir in the zucchini.
Pour into Bundt pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes.
Cake will be done when tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Check cake at 50-55 minutes. Cool completely before applying the chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
In a medium size mixing bowl, add soft butter. Mix in cocoa and orange flavored extract.
Next add in some powder sugar and then milk, then some powder sugar then milk. Repeat until all is well mixed. Mix on low speed. After frosting is well smooth and shiny, frost the cooled cake. Serve alone, with heavy cream or ice cream.
Note: It is a great fun breakfast food also, sooo yummy with a coffee.
