Zucchini and Chocolate? YES!
With so much zucchini, it helps to be creative!
Zucchini has to be one of the easiest edibles to grow. It grows quickly in all but the worst soil and it only takes a couple plants to provide more than enough zucchini for the family. In fact, it provides so much that I find myself getting more and more creative with its culinary uses.
I guess since chocolate happens to be one of my favorite food groups, it was bound to eventually be used in one of my zucchini recipes. I had some doubts, but OH MY, it’s a hit! Definitely not a pretty cake, but who cares when it tastes this good! And since they are baked in mini loaf pans it’s easy to share – if you can bring yourself to part with them.
Chocolate Zucchini cake
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
2 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini (I squeezed out some of the liquid)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 – 5- x 3-inch disposable loaf pans, lightly greased
Preheat oven to 350°. Beat together butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs until blended Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir zucchini and next 2 ingredients into batter until blended. Spoon batter into lightly greased loaf pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Spoon frosting over cooled cakes
Chocolate Frosting
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup whole milk or cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Stir in cocoa powder until well blended. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and powdered sugar.
Note: Plant zucchini and other summer squash varieties by seed mid-February through Mid-April, and again mid to end of August here in Maricopa County.



Your favorite pie crust, either homemade or ready to bake
As much as I love my garden and what it produces, I don’t grow enough or the variety to satisfy my family. So, I look beyond the garden and avoid the grocery store for the best deals.
Banana Squash Spice Cake









