Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
★★★☆☆
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (50g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder plus more for dusting⅔ cup (50g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder plus more for dusting
- 2¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour2¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda5 ml baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt5 ml kosher salt
- ½ cup (110g) unsalted butter at room temperature½ cup (110g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) mild-flavored oil such as vegetable oil½ cup (120ml) mild-flavored oil such as vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract5 ml vanilla extract
- 2 eggs at room temperature2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream½ cup (120g) plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream
- 2 cups (315g) packed, grated, unpeeled zucchini (don't squeeze out liquid)2 cups (315g) packed, grated, unpeeled zucchini (don't squeeze out liquid)
- 4 oz (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature4 oz (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature
- Optional Topping
- Chocolate GanacheChocolate Ganache
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C. Generously grease a 12-cup / 2.8L bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.
- 2. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, and ⅔ cup / 50g cocoa powder). Sift to remove any lumps.
- 3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
- 4. Turn the mixer speed to low, add both sugars to the butter, and mix until incorporated. Drizzle in the oil and vanilla, turn the speed to medium-high, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl often for even incorporation.
- 5. Turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
- 6. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed, just until combined. Add half the yogurt, mixing until incorporated. Repeat with another one-third flour, then the remaining yogurt, and finish with the final one-third flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
- 7. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the zucchini until it is evenly distributed. Then add the chocolate and stir until combined.
- 8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to make sure the batter has fully settled into the nooks of the bundt.
- 9. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, about 1 hour. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a serving plate and dust the top with cocoa before serving. You could also top with chocolate ganache, if desired.
The pan in these pictures is actually a Kugelhopf Pan and will bake faster than the traditional bundt.
To easily grate zucchini, cut off both ends and then cut into quarters. If the zucchini are large and at all tough, remove the seeds. Then use a box grater or the grater attachment on a food processor to shred the zucchini.
Do not squeeze out the liquid from the grated zucchini - this moisture contributes to the cake's richness. The combination of zucchini and chocolate creates an incredibly moist, rich cake with a subtle vegetable sweetness that enhances the chocolate flavor.
Wine Pairing: Dessert Wine — Port or Madeira — the rich, fortified sweetness complements the deep chocolate flavors while the nutty notes enhance the cake's complexity