I am sure you have heard it over and over again from friends who give you a recipe – this is THE BEST cake ever, you have to bake it and then you bake it and its so la la…well here I am this is THE BEST chocolate cake EVER – that is if you like a lighter fare, not the thick, quadruple chocolate fudgy, super dense chocolate cake, this a fluffy almost healthy chocolate cake, its one where you can eat one piece and you think, ooh/ahh I could eat a second piece and then you eat a second piece and you think well a third piece would still be fine – that’s exactly what happened to me (yes I am bias..but the cook/baker is usually his/her worst enemy when it comes to judging his/her own creations) and not just me, even my colleague ate 3, yes THREE pieces of this cake (which by the way made me very happy, if you are a cook or baker, you do want exactly these kind of people/friends at your coffee or dinner table, not the ones who only eat 1 piece of cake and don’t take another helping of your dessert ;-)).

And to top it off, the cake has vegetables in it, how odd is that, and that’s supposed to taste good? Yes it does, you won’t even recognize the zucchini in the cake. And since its Zucchini season and my garden is as gracious as my greenhouse, I for sure will bake a couple more of these “healthy cakes”. 

With no further due, here THE BEST CHOCALATE CAKE recipe EVER and just don’t tell anyone that there is zucchini in the cake.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium o r 1 large zucchini grated (medium to large holes on the grater)
• 9 tablespoons of butter, room temperature, 1 tablespoon is for greasing the baking pan
• 2-3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk*
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

*don’t have buttermilk on hand, which I frequently do not, simply add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar to 1/2 cup milk (whole or lowfat) and let sit for 15 minutes. Works.

1. Working in batches, put a small mound of the grated zucchini in center of a large square of double-layer cheesecloth (I used a couple paper towels, it easier than a cheese cloth). Gather corners together and squeeze out as much water as possible from the zucchini. Transfer zucchini to a bowl and set aside. (I had about 2 cups of this squeezed zucchini. Do not obsess about the amount, though. This is a very forgiving recipe when it comes to the amount of zucchini.)
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a deep 9″ cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Beat together the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add oil, beating well. Beat in one egg at a time, add vanilla, reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 alternative batches. Stir in reserved zucchini. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes (Start checking after 1 hour – baking time could be faster.)
4. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Invert onto a rack to cook completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Guten Appetit!