Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

So today is the first day of the new year and most food blogs will be posting lighter, healthier recipes, but not me... I give you CAKE! 

But wait a minute... if you think about it, this is a single layer cake made with greek yogurt and shredded zucchini, and the frosting is just a thin layer of ganache... so basically, this really is a lighter, healthier recipe!!  Glad to do my part - you're welcome.

Start with shredded zucchini (or half and half, shredded zucchini and shredded yellow squash).  Thankfully, good zucchini is available throughout the year.

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa), baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt together in a large mixing bowl. 

Note - sugar is usually considered a "wet" ingredient, but this is a casual cake that is easily mixed together by simply stirring, so no biggie.  You could even throw all the ingredients in one bowl and call it a day if you wanted to.

But I like to mix the wet and dry stuff separately and then combine them, but I digress.

Here are the wet ingredients - eggs, canola oil, greek yogurt, and pure vanilla extract.

Whisk to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.

Stir to combine.

Lastly, stir in the shredded zucchini (and shredded squash if using).

Before you pour the cake batter in the pan, be sure to coat the pan with baking spray - the kind that contains flour and oil.  This stuff is the bomb and I never bake a cake without it - helps your cakes release from the pan every single time!!  Great stuff.

And here's another tip that's completely unnecessary, but wow does it make a difference.  Wrap your pan with insulated baking strips so they rise evenly and don't develop a hump in the middle while baking.  Seriously, I use them for every layer cake I bake.  From simple snack cakes to large wedding cakes.  I never have to trim the tops of my layer cakes.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 8x8-inch professional cake pan https://amzn.to/3NvTeQb

• Baker's Joy https://amzn.to/3PAg1x4

• insulated baking strips https://amzn.to/3r70oDd

• box grater https://amzn.to/3NoKMCq

• offset spatula https://amzn.to/434OIOm

• black cocoa powder https://amzn.to/447bZ3F

• very best pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

---

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI SNACK CAKE

makes one 8x8-inch cake (can be doubled and baked in a 9x13-inch pan)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, sifted (darkest you can find, like black cocoa)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 large egg

• 6 tablespoons plain greek yogurt

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons hot brewed coffee (or hot water)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup shredded zucchini (or substitute up to half yellow summer squash)

Ganache:

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 4 ounces heavy cream

Directions

To make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F, spray metal cake pan with Baker's Joy, and wrap pan with insulated baking strips (optional, but they keep the cake from forming a hump in the middle).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, greek yogurt, oil, coffee, and pure vanilla extract.

4. Pour wet mixture into bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix well; add shredded zucchini and stir until combined.

5. Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and cool completely before topping with ganache.

To make the ganache:

1. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl; set aside.

2. In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, heat cream until just before it reaches the boiling point (small bubbles will form around the edges).

3. Remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate.

4. Let the chocolate and cream steep together for 2 minutes, then whisk gently until the two combine and become shiny, dark, and glossy.

5. When cake is completely cool, pour ganache over cake; use an offset spatula to spread evenly.

6. Chill cake until service. Store in an airtight container.

Gluten-Free Fudge Cake

This dense, rich, fudge cake is not only gluten-free, the batter is mixed together in a blender.  When have you ever heard of such a thing?   This cake takes no time to make at all - the batter is literally ready in a matter of minutes.  You can serve this cake warm or at room temperature, but we like it chilled. 

Start by lining the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then spray the rest of the pan with Baker's Joy to ensure perfect release.

In 30-second bursts the microwave, slowly melt butter and chocolate together, stirring between bursts.  When the chocolate is completely melted, stir well to make sure butter is completely incorporated.  Set aside until needed. Tip:  if your microwave is very powerful, decrease the power to 50%. 

Alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate together over a double boiler of simmering water, stirring frequently.

Bittersweet vs Semisweet Chocolate

There isn’t much difference between bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, and the sugar level for both varies from one manufacturer to another, so feel free to use which ever one tastes great to you!

Additional ingredients needed are almond meal (finely ground almonds), salt, baking soda, baking powder, espresso, and....

Whole eggs and sweetened condensed milk.

Now for the fun part - we mix all the ingredients together in a blender (this is the brand I love).  Start to combining the eggs and sweetened condensed milk on low speed until combined.

Add the chocolate/butter mixture, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and coffee.  Blend again on low speed until combined. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes in a preheated oven.

The cake will come out of the oven puffed up in the center.  

Allow the cake to cool for 1 hour before chilling for at least 2 additional hours.  The cake will fall in the center as it cools - this is normal so don't be alarmed.

Remove the sides of the springform pan and cut into 16 slices with a hot, sharp knife (long, thin, non-serrated blades work best - like this one).  This cake is very moist so if you want to sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, use the non-melting variety.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 9-inch springform pan https://amzn.to/3GH3IGZ

• parchment paper https://amzn.to/3ozM16b

• Baker's Joy https://amzn.to/3HCnCVd

• almond meal https://amzn.to/3CV7v40

• my favorite blender https://amzn.to/3uzhtoO

• Moser-Roth 85% chocolate https://amzn.to/3gBj7hH

• high quality espresso powder https://amzn.to/3Ln25lF

• non-melting confectioner's sugar https://amzn.to/46oEETr

• thin, sharp knife https://amzn.to/3suJqeK

---

Gluten-Free Fudge Cake

makes 16 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 6 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate

• 4 large eggs

• 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, plus 1/4 cup

• 1 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour (or meal), sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/4 cup hot espresso (or see note below)

• Optional: non-melting confectioner's sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

2. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray pan with Baker's Joy.

3. In 30-second bursts the microwave, slowly melt butter and chocolate together, stirring between bursts; set aside until needed. NOTE: if your microwave is very powerful, decrease power to 50%, or you can melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler over simmering water.

4. In the jar of a blender, combine eggs and sweetened condensed milk on low speed until combined.

5. Add chocolate/butter mixture; mix on low speed until combined.

6. Add almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso; mix on low until combined.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake tests done (a few crumbs sticking to the toothpick are ok).

8. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 1 hour; cover with plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.

9. Remove sides of springform pan and slide cake off of parchment base.

10. Use a hot knife to cut cake into 16 slices. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Note

• To make espresso, combine 1/4 cup boiling water with 1/2 teaspoon high quality espresso powder.

recipe adapted from Pati Jinich