Veggies with Chocolate!

Over a week ago, for a get-together with friends, I made this Chocolate Zucchini Cake based on the recipe over at Simply Recipes. I had never cooked with zucchini before, nor had I used a bundt pan (though I received TWO last Christmas!), so this was a dessert of Firsts.

I liked the result, but it was so moist and filling that my friends and I couldn't finish the pieces I cut from the cake- the recipe said to cut thin pieces, and I didn't follow directions! Very chocolate-y, and the vegetable aspect of the cake makes me feel better about eating it! Also, the result was pretty, and I'm always glad when I can create something beautiful to share!

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
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
Glaze (directions follow)

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. (I ALWAYS use a wooden spoon and NEVER use a beater to make EVERYTHING in my kitchen. Except here, I actually whipped out the beater.) 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 and zucchini.
3 Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture.
4 Pour the batter into a greased and flour-dusted 10-inch bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes (test at 45 minutes!) or until a wooden pick 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. (This glaze turned out really, really good!)

Cut in thin slices to serve. Makes 10-12 servings (as I discovered: cutting this into 8 pieces results in pieces that are too big.).

The cake was amazingly simple to put together, and I was glad to be able to use farmers market zucchini for such a sweet purpose!