Chocolate Zucchini Cake

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

Ingredients
· 2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour, unsifted
· 1/2 cup cocoa
· 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons cinnamon
· 3/4 cup soft butter
· 2 cups sugar
· 3 eggs
· 2 teaspoons vanilla
· 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
· 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
· 1/2 cup milk
· 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
· 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

· Glaze (directions below)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
1. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini.
3. Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition.
4. Pour the batter into a greased and flour-dusted 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50-60 minutes (test at 45 minutes!) or until a wooden pick/knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly.
5. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Glaze: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Cut in thin slices to serve. Makes 10-12 servings.

This is an absolute "must make" recipe if you love zucchini and/or chocolate. Hubby loves it...so much so he's asked me to make another this weekend!

Enjoy!

Tracy (electracity)