Chocolate Zucchini Cake
On July 17, 2020 by Christy LarsenI must admit that the provenance of this recipe or idea of it anyway came from elsewhere. I have been making it for so many years and have futzed with it along the way, that I have no idea where it all started. It has become a favorite of ours and our farm stand guests mostly because it lives under the guise of being healthy. You know, with it being loaded with veggies and all.
We grow a ton of zucchini here. This is a story told by anyone who successfully grows zucchini. We are all trying to unload our bumper crop by mid-summer to anyone who makes eye contact. It is a prolific and delicious vegetable that is difficult to stay ahead of. Now that I grow my own, I am always amazed at the perfect (and small) grocery store versions of them. I imagine they must pay people to sleep in the field with a ruler in hand and harvest at just the right moment. Mine are always imperfect and sometimes downright giant. This cake is filled with grated zucchini. It can be a perfectly beautiful one or a monster from your garden, but I do recommend that you have more flesh than seed when grating.
The recipe calls for oil and duck eggs. I have had success using vegetable oil, olive oil and lard. I have not made this recipe with butter, nor have I substituted apple sauce and cannot endorse either. As for eggs, I use duck in most of my baking. For this rustic cake, I would use large or extra large chicken eggs if you cannot find duck. If you cannot find large or extra large, you can use what you have. It may alter the result, but it shouldn’t ruin it. If that just won’t work for you, look up the weight (liquid weight) of a, extra large chicken egg, multiply by two and then weigh the eggs you have until you get to the number you need. If you end up needing only half of your egg–whisk it before measuring. Baking is a science, but its not a science fair.
You will want to sneak this into your lunchbox on-the-daily despite it being loaded with veggies
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
2 duck or extra large chicken eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup lard (melted) or oil of your choice
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (you can add more or less to your individual taste)
powdered sugar for decoration
Prepare an 8×13 high sided baking pan with vegetable spray or butter and preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are well incorporated and they begin to lighten. Add the lard (or oil) and whisk until fully emulsified. Whisk in the yogurt and extract and give it a good 30-second workout. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and stir in the salt, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Do not over mix, but make sure everything is incorporated. Stir in the zucchini. If your cake mix is stiff, add up to 1/4 cup of water to help loosen. You do not want it to be runny, it should be the consistency of warm pudding. Add chocolate chips and tip into your baking tin. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes. It is done when the top is resistant to your touch or a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Sift a bit of powdered sugar on top and serve straight from the pan. a
If I am to be honest, this cake gets about a 30-minute respite in our house. It is lovely served warm accompanied by a cold glass of milk
Zucchini-Chevre Spoon Bread
On October 4, 2012 by sixtyacrebakerA few days back; Mike, fresh from visiting our long neglected garden presented me with an enormous zucchini. Confession I sorta only grow zucchini for flowers. Occasionally, a few squash survive. When they do grow this large, I use them for bread. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savory. This spoon bread is a great side dish. It also rocks, scooped warm and soft, as a bed for caramelized onions, sunny side up eggs and crispy bacon. Best.Breakfast.Ever.
Zucchini Chevre Spoon Bread
4 large eggs
6 oz olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chevre
1/2 tsp freshly grated pepper
1 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1 lb (about 3 cups) grated zucchini
1 cup grated cheese (mix of asiago, parmesan and provolone)*
*use your favorite flavorful cheese…if you use a salty cheese, modify your salt to 1/2 tsp
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl, set aside. In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the eggs and olive oil until pale (about 5 minutes). Add the salt, chevre, pepper, honey garlic powder and thyme. Mix for about another minute at as high speed as you can without splashing. STIR in the flour until fully incorporated, then stir in the zucchini and cheese. Bake at 375F in an 9″ buttered cake tin or cast iron skillet. Bake for about 45-50 minutes. This is a spoon bread, so it will be soft, but should not be jiggly. It will set as it cools as well. Serve warm.
Shaved Zucchini
On January 22, 2012 by sixtyacrebakerSometimes after a long weekend of heavy eating, I’ll prepare something really simple. This dish, bright and light, comes together rather quickly.
Shaved Zucchini
4 medium zucchini-about 4 cups
2 garlic cloves–peeled and smashed
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp dry thyme
zest from 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Shave the zucchini using a vegetable peeler. Make long strips and shave until you reach the heavily seeded part. turn and begin again. In the end, you will have a core. discard. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add the whole, but smashed garlic and let it brown. Remove the garlic (you are using it just to flavor the oil) and toss in the zucchini. Toss continually and allow the zucchini to cook through…this will take about 5-10 minutes. Add zest, thyme and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning–add salt and pepper to taste.
Ratatouille
On March 9, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerAll too often I fill my canvas tote with fresh from farm produce. I bring it home, lovingly display it, and then succumb to the reality that father time ages it faster than we eat it. I find myself racing time. Such an event happened today with a good ol’ fashioned crisper raid.
Ratatouille
olive oil
1 medium onion-thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic–chopped
1/4 cup red wine
1 red bell pepper-julienne
1 medium eggplant–cut into cubes
2 zucchini–cut into rounds
3 cups diced tomatoes–fresh or canned
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
about 1/2 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
1 generous Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
Heat a small stock pot over low flame. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Toss in the onions and garlic and cook until they soften. Add in the eggplant and red pepper and give them a good toss. Cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the red wine and cook for about a minute more. Finally, add in the zucchini, diced tomatoes, basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt. Give a good stir, cover and cook for about 25-30 minutes. Periodically give a good stir to the pot. Once the vegetables are soft, but not falling apart, remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar and fresh parsley. Taste for salt and add if necessary. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.