Chocolate Zucchini Cake (I goofed!!!)

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Photo from www.Penzeys.com)


I was in Shelby recently and my friend PJ made some delicious zucchini nut bread.  When I got home I noticed the bounty of zucchini at the Farmer's Market so I bought some.  Later while  looking through my Penzey's magazine, I found this recipe for chocolate zucchini cake, and I thought it the perfect recipe for using  the zucchini.

• 1/2 Cup margarine or butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 13/4 Cups sugar
• 1/2 Cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1/2 Cup buttermilk or sour milk (1/2 Cup milk plus 1 tsp. white vinegar = sour milk)
• 21/2 Cups flour
• 4 TB. COCOA POWDER
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. PENZEYS CINNAMON
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Cups grated zucchini, peeled if desired, drained (about 2 medium)
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 325° (for a glass pan) or 350° (for a metal pan). In a mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature margarine/butter and sugar. Add the oil, eggs, VANILLA and buttermilk and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the flour, COCOA, baking soda, CINNAMON and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix well. Fold in the zucchini. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts over the top of the cake. Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Let cool before cutting. Prep. time: 20 minutes Baking time: 35-50 minutes Serves: 12-15 Gather your ingredients. Ingredients. Cream butter and sugar. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs,oil, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Fold in grated zucchini. Fold in grated zucchini. Out of the oven. The cake has the consistency of brownies rather than cake.  Mine came out with the consistency of brownies---not light as cake should have been.  What went wrong?  As I looked back over the recipe I discovered that I had added baking powder instead of baking soda.  When I googled to see if it is possible to substitute baking powder for baking soda I learned that yes, that is possible, but when doing so one should add 4 times the amount of baking powder.  I had added only 1 tsp of baking powder and I should have added 4 tsps.  (Well actually I should have added baking soda as the recipe called for---must have been having a "senior moment".) Mistake number two:  When I was measuring the flour I discovered that I had only a cup of all purpose flour. Not wanting to make a run to the grocery store, I remembered I had some whole wheat flour in the freezer, so I substituted 1 1/2 cups of this in place of the all purpose flour.  After seeing that the cake was too dense, I thought perhaps it was because of the whole wheat flour substitution.  Sure enough, when I googled, I learned that when substituting whole wheat flour for plain flour use about 3/4 cup of whole wheat for each 1 cup of all purpose flour.  I didn't reduce the amount of whole wheat flour but used the full amount called for in the recipe.   Another "senior moment", I forgot to add the vanilla.  That didn't affect the texture, but it did affect the flavor.  There is cinnamon in the cake so the cake was flavorful but the flavor would have been better with the vanilla. Well one thing, Dan loves brownies, so he thinks the "brownies" are good.  I will make this recipe again though making sure I follow the recipe exactly---no substitutions.  Check out this recipe at www.penzeys.com.  I get all my spices at Penzeys.

Double Chocolate Cake With Peanut Butter Cream Filling

Double chocolate cake with peanut butter cream filling.

When I'm in New Bern at the Antique Show each year, I enjoy chatting with Virginia, from Oriental, NC, who has a booth directly across from me.  Invariably our chats turn to food.  This year we had the Preview Party of the Show on Valentine's night and somehow that night our conversation turned to "candy".  I was expressing my penchant for Reese's Peanut Butter candy bars, when Virginia proceeded to tell me about this cake she had made recently that combined chocolate and peanut butter.  I got the recipe from her and earlier this week, I made the cake. 

This cake is easy and quick to make.  If you are a purist and like cakes made from scratch this recipe isn't for you.  But if you would like a recipe that might qualify as "Semi-homemade" (Sandra Lee-like),  you should try this.

Double Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Filling
Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix.
1 can Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate Frosting
1stick softened butter
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
Whipped cream (optional)
Crushed peanuts
Directions:
Mix chocolate cake mix according to box directions and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. 

Duncan Hines triple chocolate cake mix.

While cake is baking make the peanut butter cream filling.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.  This should be the consistency of frosting.

Frost the COOL cake with peanut butter cream and refrigerate until firm.

Baked chocolate cake.

Frost with peanut butter cream.

Offset spatula is perfect for spreading frosting.

Frost the cooled cake with chocolate frosting.

Duncan Hines milk chocolate frosting.

Serve with whipped cream topped with crushed peanuts or top cake with crushed peanuts after chocolate frosting. 

Ready to enjoy.

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Chocolate Guinness Cake for St. Paddy's Day

I made this cake on Monday so it will be ready for St. Patrick's Day.  I think it will be better after the flavors have a chance to blend.  It will keep easily in the fridge for a week or more.  I agree with the person who submitted the recipe to Taste of Home that the "the cream cheese frosting resembles the foamy head on a pint".

Here's the recipe:

12 ServingsPrep: 25 Bake: 45 min. + cooling

Ingredients

• 1 cup Guinness (dark beer)
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup sour cream (I used Greek yogurt because I didn't have sour cream, and I didn't want to go to the grocery store to get any.)
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• TOPPING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

• Grease a 9-in. springform pan and line the bottom with parchment
• paper; set aside.
• 
  
• In a saucepan, heat beer and butter until butter is melted.
• Remove from the heat; whisk in sugar and cocoa until blended.
• Combine the eggs, sour cream and vanilla; whisk into beer mixture.
• Combine flour and baking soda; whisk into beer mixture until smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.
• 
  
• Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near
• the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

© Taste of Home 2011

 My cake fell a bit in the center, but it was okay once it was iced.

The cake is very moist, and the icing complements the chocolate very nicely.  I must admit I couldn't taste the Guinness.  So if you are looking to have some Guinness to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you might just want to have a pint.

Photo from Guinness website.