Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ounces (110 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) neutral vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus a little more for dusting on cake
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder mixed with 2 teaspoons hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups (315 grams) packed grated zucchini
- 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 and move the oven shelf to the middle.
- Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% power for 3 minutes. It may not look melted, but it should smooth out once you stir it with a spoon. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Use a spoon or your hands to break up and push the cocoa powder through if it’s very clumpy.
- Combine the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add the paddle attachment and turn the mixer on low until the sugar and fats are combined. Then crank up the speed to medium high and beat for 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. The sugary mixture should look thick and creamy.
- Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one by one, making sure that each is well mixed before adding the next one. Scrape the bowl to make sure the eggs are well mixed.
- Lower the speed again to the lowest setting available. Add one third of the flour mixture and as soon as it’s combined, add ½ of the sour cream and the vanilla. Once that is combined, add another third of the flour mixture. Add the remaining sour cream and the espresso. Then add the final third of the flour mixture. Make sure to scrape the bowl between additions.
- Turn off the mixer and detach the bowl. It’s fine if the flour is not fully mixed and you see some streaks-you will mix the rest by hand.
- Add the shredded zucchini and mix it into the batter with a spatula, making sure to get to the bottom of the bowl. Once the zucchini is mixed, add the melted chocolate.
- Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baker’s cooking spray, making sure you get all of the nooks and crannies. You can also grease the pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder if you prefer, just make sure you do this with a generous hand.
- Pour the batter into the pan and lightly tap the pan on the counter so the batter settles into all of the grooves.
- Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes. A toothpick test should yield moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then gently flip it over onto a cooking rack to fully cool.
- Dust the cake with cocoa powder before serving.
Notes
*Use a kitchen scale for the best, most consistent results.
* You can use any bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, just make sure not to use baking chips, which will not melt and are made to keep their shape.
*You can substitute low fat sour cream (which is what I had) or full fat yogurt for the recipe with excellent results.
Keywords: chocolate, snacking cake, sweets, cake, zucchni