Fudgy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Zucchini grows like WEEDS in my garden, and if you grow it too, you know what I mean. So, it has come to my attention that this zucchini needs to be put to use in something other than grilled on the grill or baked in the oven. With this chocolate zucchini cake, you don't taste the zucchini, but it helps keep the cake nice and moist. Mmm! Without further adieu, let's bake!

For this recipe, you will need:

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature (you could also use regular oil or butter)

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon instant coffee (helps to enhance chocolate flavor)

3 large eggs

2 cups unpeeled, grated zucchini

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix all the ingredients all together and set aside.

In in another bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. If you chose to use coconut oil or another oil like I did, mix it until it resembles a slushy. Add the vanilla, coffee, and eggs, mixing well between each addition. You can add in one egg at a time, but that it optional. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, chocolate chips, and about a third of the flour mixture, making sure the zucchini strands are well coated and not clumping too much. I prefer using a whisk for this in order to get all the strands coated, but using a spatula works too.

Add the remainder of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix it together. Add the zucchini mixture, and carefully mix it together. Pour the batter into a round, springform pan, and then bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

After you let it cool, you can dive right in! Enjoy this delicious, moist, fudgy cake!