Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus additional for dusting pan (preferably dutch process)
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, more to taste (optional)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened,plus additional for greasing pan
• 1/2 cup peanut oil or 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk, mixed with
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar (or 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk)
• 2 1/2 cups finely shredded zucchini, drained and juice squeezed out (5-6 small zucchini)
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, more to taste
• unsweetened whipped cream or very lightly sweetened whipped cream, as accompaniment (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325degf.
• 2 grease a 9"x13" baking pan (preferably glass), and dust generously with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• 3 sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, and cinnamon, and optional nutmeg, and set aside.
• 4 cream together the butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy, add eggs, vanilla, and sour milk, and blend well by hand.
• 5 add drained and squeezed grated zucchini, and stir in well.
• 6 spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• 7 sprinkle the top evenly with chocolate chips, leaving a chip-free 1" diameter area right in the center, and then sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.
• 8 bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• 9 (that’s what the chip-free spot is for. you will never get a clean toothpick otherwise; it will always be chocolate covered.) if you are using a metal pan, bake at 350degf for 40 minutes.
• 10 allow to cool to room temperature in pan sitting on wire rack.
• 11 if desired, serve with a dollop of very lightly sweetened whipped cream.
• 12 refrigerate or freeze leftover cake; this cake is very moist and will mold if left for long at room temperature, but it won't get stale!