Eat. . . Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Here's one I prepared earlier. . .

This is the perfect treat food for those times when you are inundated with zucchini/courgettes, and it is a good way to use up "the one that got away" - ie the zucchini which somehow managed to fly beneath the radar and evade capture until it was the size of a newborn baby! It's also a good way of getting vegetables into unsuspecting children, although I have to admit that any health benefits from vegetable consumption are out-weighed by all the fat, sugar and chocolate involved! Just a tip, the first time you present these to small children, don't mention the zucchini! Years ago, when I first told Sonny Jim about the new recipe I had found, he said something along the lines of "Ewwwww, gross!!" A few days later when I told him there was "chocolate brownie" for afternoon tea he ate it delightedly. Only afterwards did I confess it was in fact the dreaded "chocolate zucchini cake" and he has loved it ever since!

The recipe is from the book "School lunches and after school snacks" by Alison and Simon Holst. I often make a double mixture and freeze most of it for occasional lunch box or afternoon tea snacks. . .

Yummy Zucchini Chocolate Cake

125 g butter/margarine 

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup yogurt - any type

2 1/2 cups plain flour

3 cups/ 350 g grated zucchini

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsps baking soda

2 tsps cinnamon or mixed spice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Heat oven to 170˙C. Line bottom and sides of 25 cm square brownie tin or roasting pan, with two crosswise strips of baking paper.

Beat softened butter and sugars in mixer or food processor until light and creamy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, yogurt and 1/2 cup of measured flour, then mix in grated zucchini. Sift in remaining flour and next 4 ingredients. Stir gently, then pour into the tin. Sprinkle with choc chips. 

Bake for 45 mins, or until centre feels firm and skewer comes out clean. Cool on rack in tin. Refrigerate or freeze wrapped pieces. 

(Or put a load of slices in an ice cream tub and bury in the chest freezer!)

I'd love to hear how you get on if you try it!