Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

Category: Cakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup coarsely ground nuts
1/2 cup milk
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan.

Thoroughly combine first six ingredients, set aside.

With electric mixer beat butter and sugar until smooth (about 5 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla, orange peel, zucchini and nuts. Alternately stir dry ingredients and milk into zucchini mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until tested done. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack to cool completely. Dust top with confectioners sugar, or cover with dark chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze
Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate and 1/2 cup water in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth and shiny and well-blended. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla; cool to room temperature then chill in refrigerator until thick enough to spread over cake with a spatula.