Baking with Olivia and Caroline

Yes, I am still harvesting zucchini from my garden. At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if I planted a zucchini patch or if I somehow accidentally started a small zucchini farm. We have eaten more zucchini this summer than I have in my entire lifetime. Note to self: DO NOT plant as many zucchini plants next year!

We have used zucchini in so many savory dishes and added it to more sweet desserts than I can count. I’m pretty sure I’ve reached the point where I can sneak zucchini into just about anything! This cake, though – Wow! It is so moist, so easy to make, and just hits the spot. I knew when I tasted the batter that it was going to be great, but wasn’t expecting it to knock my socks off!

Little secret: I had actually made a version of this cake earlier in the summer and wasn’t thrilled with the results, so I debated whether or not I should even share the recipe. Caroline and I also made an apple cake with a brown-butter, cinnamon frosting. The frosting was absolutely fantastic. The cake? Not so much. Let’s just say it didn’t exactly live up to the frosting’s potential. I may revisit it and see what I can do to make the cake worthy of that brown-butter, cinnamon frosting goodness. Maybe it will become an October recipe. Perfect for the season. Stay tuned!

Back to the zucchini cake. The addition of espresso powder, reducing the amount of sugar, and adding butter and vegetable oil really put this one over the top. If you’re worried that this cake will have a coffee taste to it, don’t be. The espresso powder just gives the chocolate a little extra depth and makes it taste even more chocolatey.

The cake would definitely be delicious without the ganache, but honestly, who doesn’t love a good chocolate ganache poured over a good chocolate cake? 

If you choose to skip the ganache, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar, garnish it with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, or just leave it naked! You can’t go wrong with any of these options.

The cake was incredibly easy to put together, and it helped us use up some of the last of my zucchini. Although, judging by the number of zucchinis still sitting on my kitchen counter, I may need to start looking into zucchini donations. As always, enjoy!

Cake ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temp
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cups cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 2 cups shredded zucchini (do not squeeze dry)
• 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped walnuts 

Cake instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x13” pan. Combine the oil, butter, and sugar in a mixer and beat until incorporated. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Mine was done in 30 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Ganache ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped fine
• ½ cup heavy cream

Ganache instructions

Heat the cream over medium heat until very hot and steamy. Do not let the heavy cream boil. Place the finely chopped chocolate in a shallow bowl. Pour the steamy, hot cream over the chocolate and cover it for about 5-10 minutes. Stir with a metal spoon or spatula until combined. My chocolate didn’t thoroughly melt, so I set the bowl over another steaming hot bowl of water and stirred it until all chocolate was melted. The mixture should be very smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and refrigerate for a few hours. Enjoy! •

Olivia and Caroline are enthusiastic foodies and bakers who are constantly in the kitchen, as well as explorers who create their own adventures in our area – and did we mention they are mother and daughter? Follow Olivia on Instagram to see her many creations at @oliviawvalentine.