April 18, 2004
Chocolate & Zucchini Cake (IMBB3)
Today is the third edition of the one and only collaborative food blogging event, otherwise known as "Is My Blog Burning?". The first edition, hosted by Alberto, was all about soup. The second edition, hosted by yours truly, had a tartine theme.
Today's event is hosted by the lovely Singaporean foodie, Renée, and the theme is Cake Walk. As Renée explains, a cake walk is a sort of lottery organized at local fun fairs, in which the prizes are cakes baked and donated by people from the community. I knew about fund-raising bake sales, but I'd never heard of that concept. It sure sounds great : gambling and cakes, it doesn't get any better than that!
I scratched my head and pondered the possibilities for quite a while : the world of cakes is vast -- and beautiful I might add -- so a lot of room was left for personal inspiration. I had settled on an idea, but at the very last minute, as is often the case, inspiration came knocking on my door again : what could be more fitting a contribution than a Chocolate & Zucchini Cake?
Apparently, in the Midwest, zucchini plants seem to grow with supernatural vigor. When harvest season comes around, people are overloaded with their crop, and have developped all kinds of inventive ways to use it up. Someone even told me that nobody ever locked their cars in his small town, except when it's zucchini season, otherwise you risk coming back to find that someone has left a crate of zucchini on the passenger seat! One of the popular uses of extra zucchini (apart from abandoning it on the steps of the church) is in breads and cakes, including chocolate and zucchini cakes.
When I picked the name for this blog, I wasn't at all referring to this (see About for the real explanation), but over time I've had a few emails from readers telling me about this type of cake, and even requests for recipe recommendation. Well, I have one now!
I searched the web for recipes, found several, selected the ones that made the most sense, read the bakers' comments and variation ideas, blended all this thoroughly with a spatula, and ended up with this version.
I baked it yesterday afternoon, and served it in the evening to my favorite taste-testers, Ludo, Marie-Laure, Stéphan and Patricia, who had come around for dinner (more on that in the coming days of course). And boy, was it scrumptious! When I started cutting slices, I could tell immediately that the texture was just right, fluffy and moist, with a slightly crispy outer crust. The big advantage of using grated zucchini is that it provides some of this moistness, allowing you to reduce the amount of butter : one stick for a cake this big isn't much. There is no way anyone can taste the zucchini in there, the only giveaway is that you can sometimes spot a little filament when you cut a bite.
A lot of recipes called for walnuts or pecans, mixed in with the batter or added on top, but I think hazelnuts and chocolate make a very happy couple, which is why I used them to top the cake. We all enjoyed the toasted nutty crunch it provided, but you could omit them or sub your favorite kind of nut.
In addition to being a deep and beautiful shade of brown, the cake has a voluptuous chocolate flavor. We can thank the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips for that (actually, pardon me, I use ganache drops, bought in bulk at G.Detou), and also the dash of coffee granules. The latter is a good trick (passed on to me by my grandmother, I kid you not) to remember when working with chocolate : you can't discern the coffee as such, but it brings out the chocolate taste even further.
Chocolate & Zucchini Cake
- 1 1/2 C (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C (60 g) whole wheat flour (of course, you can just use 2 C / 240 g all-purpose flour, I was just trying to be good)
- 1/2 C (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 C (110 g) butter, softened
- 1 C (160 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules (the Nescafé type, the stronger the better)
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 C zucchini, unpeeled, grated (about 280 g, two medium)
- 1 C (170 g) chocolate chips
Topping :
- 40 g light brown sugar
- 1/2 C (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
(Serves 10.)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease a 3 quart (3 L) springform cake pan, and flour it or sprinkle with cocoa powder : this is to help the cake unmold easily, especially if you're not using a magic non-stick pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In your food processor, combine the sugar and butter, and mix until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and espresso powder, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.
Spoon in the flour mixture, reserving the last half-cup of it. Mix thoroughly, the batter will be thick.
Add the grated zucchini and the chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture, and toss to coat. Fold in the batter, and blend thoroughly, it's fun. Pour into the prepared cake pan, and flatten the surface with a spatula.
In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients, and sprinkle all over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn out on a rack to cool for half an hour, then unmold.
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More Recipes Like This One:
~ Super Simple Nutella Ice Cream
~ Rose and Chocolate Marshmallows
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Comments (37)
Permalink | Posted by clotilde in Chocolate - Recipe Inside!
Hey Clotilde, I'm from the midwest and you are absolutely right about the zucchini problem: my grandmother put them in everything from lasagne to cakes to meatloaf when I was growing up. In fact, for the first five years or so that I was in Paris, I didn't touch the darn things, I was still so tired of them!
However, I never heard of a *chocolate* zucchini cake - what a great idea! Now THAT might have reconciled me to liking them when I was little!
Posted by Meg on April 18, 2004 2:10 PMClotilde, what a wonderful combination. doesn't sound weird at all. I can just imagine the wonderful moistness of the cake from the zucchini, and of course, the unbeatable taste of chocolate! mmmm!
(sort of abit like a chocolate version of carrot cake I suppose, but with zucchini. and I like zucchini : ) )
I think this one will definitely have to go onto my ever-lengthening list of "to bake" cakes. : )
Posted by Renee on April 18, 2004 4:18 PMthanks.
It's not only the midwest. They love, love, love the Mediterranean climate of California (and gardeners always overestimate these things). Leaving bags of zucchini on folks' doorsteps was a done thing when I was a girl. I believe my mother forbade planting of it at our house because she knew that they would be gifted with it in season (esp. by my grandfather who would not take NO for an answer).
Sounds yummy! We had the standard zucchini bread which was very good (and froze well) but not as luxe as this sounds.
I must go put out eggs and butter to warm up for pound cake, which is what I am making. I have real Cornish clotted cream and raspberries to go with it.
Posted by Charlotte on April 18, 2004 5:09 PMThis looks like a wonderful summer recipe, and I can't wait to try it. I'm hoping to even grow some zucchini of my own this summer!
Zucchini is possibly my favorite vegetable, but unfortunately it's difficult to come by and very expensive this time of year. I have a hard time paying $2.49/lb for something that people will be trying to give away in 4 months. So, I will wait patiently. But I'm excited by this recipe; I look forward to trying it!
Posted by Kristi on April 18, 2004 7:25 PMI used to make chocolote zucchini cake as a teenager. It is one of my all time favorites but I haven't made it in in 20 years and I lost the recipe. Thank you so much Clotilde for this entry and recipe!
Posted by elise on April 18, 2004 7:53 PMHaving grown up in the Midwest, we learned to add zucchini to just about everything from soups to cookies after my mother planted a few seeds on the border alongside our house. Somehow, we missed mixing it with chocolate, though, so I can't wait to try this version. A recent Google search gave me the idea of grating, then freezing zucchini in 2 cup increments (I use ziplock freezer bags, making it as airtight as possible) for quick use in future recipes.... Lemon zucchini muffins for brunch? No problem. Thanks for such a wonderful blogsite, Clothilde. It truly is a treasure.
Posted by Elaine on April 18, 2004 9:48 PMI grew up in the Midwest. Not only did I not like zucchini, but my mother used to make me distribute it to all of our neighbors. If they weren't home, I left it on their doorstep. This made me group These days I like zucchini, but I have trouble getting more than 4-5 zucchini per plant, because it keeps rotting. It makes me a bit sad.
If you liked the chocolate zucchini cake (one of my favorites growing up), you'll love zucchini bread. It's a quick, sweet bread, and it can also be made with chocolate. I can share a recipe if you are interested.
-alain
Posted by Alain Roy on April 18, 2004 10:56 PMThis looks great, Clotilde! I've never heard of chocolate zucchini cake before, or indeed, any cake/bread made with zucchini. This is turning my established view of vegetables upon its head!
Posted by Angela on April 19, 2004 1:24 AMClotilde! I love love love that you made a chocolate zucchini cake, so clever and so fitting! The cake looks very yummy and my curiousity is such that I will try this over the summer once zucchini are in season. Thanks!
Posted by Deb on April 19, 2004 4:47 AMBonjour Clotilde,
this is just too weird....
I mentioned to my husband today that I thought it strange that there was no recipe for Chocolate-Zucchini Cake on your site. He said: "you bake the best (sic) CZ cake in he world, send her your recipe!" So I sit down at my computer tonight, open your site and lo and behold.... your recipe looks very good.
As I have only very recently discovered food blogs, I am not sure what the etiquette is and if return recipes are accepted. I will take a chance, here is my version of a very good moist CZ cake:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup grates unpeeled zucchini
2 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
1/2 cup choco chips ( or a bit more!)
Beat oil & sugar, add eggs, mix well. Sir in vanilla & zucchini.
Posted by Anne on April 19, 2004 7:50 AMI another bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon & cloves. Add to creamed misture alternatively with sour cream, mix well, add choco chips.
Bake at 325 F (195 C) in a greased 9x13 pan for about 45 min. (it should be slightly moist in the center)
Eat or make a simple icing with icing sugar, hot water and a few drops of essence of rum.
Can be served as a dessert, sprinkled with raspberry couli and a dollop of whipping cream.
Since I grow Zucchini in my veggie garden, I usually make a big batch of this cake and put it in the deep freezer.
I hope you will try it some day.
Anne
hi clotilde! would really like to try this out ... but what is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?
Posted by jun on April 20, 2004 8:22 AMMeg - I can imagine the zucchini burnout syndrom! In passing, the lasagna idea sounds great, too...
Renee - Chocolate carrot cake, that's exactly the kind of texture we get here!
Charlotte - The pound cake sounds luscious...
Kristi - Summer zucchini are just so much tastier than out of season, it's well worth the wait taste-wise too!
Elise - Oh you really have to get back on the C&Z cake saddle! Do you recall your recipe being somewhat similar to this one?
Elaine - Thanks for the very kind words! And... may I ask for the zucchini lemon muffin recipe? It's very tempting!
Alain - I'll certainly take you up on your offer, I'd love to try a simple zucchini bread!
Angela - Indeed, isn't zucchini the most versatile of veggies? That about proves it! :)
Deb - Glad you liked the idea! And I'm sure you'll love the cake, do let us know if you try it!
Anne - What a coincidence! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I like the idea of the cinnamon and cloves, and the addition of sour cream must be great, too. I'll give it a try next time!
Jun - They are both leavening agents, and baking powder is actually baking soda mixed with a dry acid. More info (on substitutes, etc.) can be found at http://www.foodsubs.com/Leaven.html but both can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Hope you like the cake!
Posted by clotilde on April 20, 2004 10:04 AMclotilde -
just wanted to drop you a line - i made your fabulous cake 2 nights ago (late, which was a mistake for my general state of well-being, but passons - and it really is delicious. in fact, i have been inspired to organize a bake sale for my son's daycare, so we can bring in a local musician and have a little concert! i'd like to work a cake walk in to the sale; either raffle off a cake or have an auction with bids. i have to find an irresistible recipe! something that's really spectacular!
Posted by kelli ann on May 19, 2004 3:37 PMKelli - I'm delighted you enjoyed the cake, and hope you have great success with your bake sale!
Posted by clotilde on May 22, 2004 3:05 PMClotilde - First of all your website is wonderful. I live in the San Francisco Bay area and have a similar philosophy around food!
I tried this recipe and everyone loved it. I think I'll add more zucchini next time. I used a very large zucchini which may have given it a different moisture content. My zucchini was 4 lbs! They grow them big here!
I'll have to try more of your recipes. Thank you!
Posted by Dora on July 1, 2004 6:24 PMDora - Delighted you tried and liked this, thanks for reporting back!
Posted by clotilde on July 9, 2004 4:58 PMHi Clotilde - I found the recipe for C&Z cake! and have dedicated it to you :-)
Posted by elise on August 9, 2004 7:40 AMi think that this cake looks wanderful and makes my mouth water by just looking at it. so WELL DONE
Posted by tasha on February 2, 2005 11:57 AMwould you like to be my email mate? if so reply my names tasha, whats yours?
Posted by tasha on February 2, 2005 12:00 PMhow old are you? do you live in dorset? if not were abouts do you live? i live in blandford, its a bit boring there.
Hi Clotilde!
Posted by Robin on August 7, 2005 8:01 PMI just want to inform you that your chocolate & zucchini cake was wonderful. I never thought zucchini would work in a cake, but this was among the best chocolate cakes I've ever tasted.
Since I found no coffee granules I used cappucino powder, but it was fine that way, too.
I have decided to try your other recipes as well.
I am addicted to this recipe, but zucchini is out of season in Wisconsin. So I substituted peeled, grated beets for the zucchini. The result was an extremely dense, moist cake with a hint of the earthy flavor of beets. I covered it with a chocolate glaze. It was really good.
Posted by Cris on October 25, 2005 2:36 PMThis is the best chocolate cake I have ever baked... I made it twice: first time was good, but the second time was GRAND!
Posted by Miss Piggott on December 31, 2005 2:57 PMI used a whole bag of baking powder (since the flour mixture and the zucchini exceeded 500 grams), put less than 170 grams of chocolate chips and added some milk because I thought the batter was a bit too dense this time. Well, the result was a 7 centimeters-high cake (and a very good-looking one I have to admit) that impressed just everyone!
Thanks for this recipe Clotilde!
Hi Clothilde,
Posted by Kathryn on January 30, 2006 12:12 AMI plan to make this tomorrow - looks wonderful! I'm wondering about the type of brown sugar you use - cassonade? or where can you get light brown sugar in Paris?
Thanks for so many special recipes and stories...
Kathryn
Salut!
Posted by Scott on April 13, 2006 3:22 AMJust wanted to add that my mom made this cake once or twice when i was a kid, and I LOVED it. Haven't had, or thought about, it for over 20 years, and despite seeing the name of your blog, I still didn't make the connection until today... Thanks for rekindling a little bit of my childhood... zucchini are quite prolific in New England too.
Dianna, the receipe for the chocolate-zuchini cake looks good and no doubt would be moist.
Posted by Ms. Peh on October 20, 2006 12:20 AMHi, I stumbled onto this blog, and I am only a recent cook(6 months or so?) b/c I moved out of home, and I really want to cook good food. This recipe looks delicious, and I have seen numerous others, but I am a lacto-vegetarian so I don't eat eggs( I cheat a bit in pastires, but I prefer not t ouse them in my cooking). Would anyone know of a good substitute for eggs in this recipe?
Posted by Prakash on November 16, 2006 10:34 PMI'e made zucchini bread and zucchini chocolate cake for years and love this recipe too! Good for you in trying new things. At 62, I've found I really enjoy finding new takes on old recipes & this is no exception. Thank you!
Posted by Marie on May 24, 2007 11:23 PMI live in Tuscany and my l'orto is being taken over by zucchini. It's amazing! They almost double in size overnight! And I can't give them away because everybody else here has the same problem. So this cake was a real find. And totally decadent. The brown sugar topping is a nice touch. I didn't have hazelnuts and used toasted almonds instead. This is a beautifully rich and moist cake. Thanks!
Posted by Martha Cavanagh on June 19, 2007 8:44 AMMarta
I read the blog, I attended the Berkeley book talk, I bought the book, and recently, I baked the C&Z cake (in a 9.25 loaf pan). I received rave reviews (from family and new acquaintances)!
Posted by Georgia on June 22, 2007 8:48 PMMy husband and I chose chocolate zucchini cake for our wedding cake. The baker thought it sounded disgusting, but agreed to try it if we would agree to have some "normal" yellow cake as well. Of course the chocolate zucchini cake vanished as soon as it was served, and we were left with lots of yellow cake leftovers! CZ is a fabulous cake!
Posted by Martha on June 29, 2007 7:04 AMThis was super-fun to make, and you're right, it doesn't taste like zucchini at all :) My only problem was that the cake is significantly taller in the middle than on the sides - so I had to bake it longer so it was thoroughly cooked in the middle - so the rest of it is dryer than it should be. Any ideas how to keep that from happening?
Posted by Sheila on July 29, 2007 2:15 PMFor a little extra flavoring, just add some pomegranate. You'd be surprised, and also it's good for you being a superb antioxidant.
Posted by Amyobala Key on December 20, 2007 2:31 AMI used to make this cake (without the coffee powder) years ago, but lost the recipe. I saw your book in a shop and was amazed that it was the name of the missing cake, so logged on to your blog. I was thrilled to find this favourite there and instantly emailed your link to my daughter who is a keen gardener. I haven't made it yet but plan to next week for my grand daughters birthday. Yippee
Posted by angie on March 16, 2008 6:10 PMthis cake looks great. i want to make a small cake (7 inch springform) and was wondering if i can just half this recipe. has anyone done this before?
thanks.
Posted by nicole on March 31, 2008 3:54 AMHi Clotilde,
I've made this cake twice and it is truly amazing! I have to take it to work with me so I don't eat it all! Looking forward to trying other recipes in your book.
Posted by Joette on May 4, 2008 4:36 PMthis is an amazing cake - i just made it. i also found your stories about growing zucchini absolutely hilarious.
Posted by maria v on June 3, 2008 6:28 AMHi Clotilde,
I wanted to let you know that I made a vegan version of this cake by using non-dairy butter (Earth Balance brand) and Ener-G egg replacer. It was great! Everyone liked it (vegans and non-vegans alike).
Posted by gildthatlily on July 14, 2008 5:54 PMPrivacy. The email addresses you enter will not be used for any other purpose than the sending of this message.